Miraculous (3-3): Tales
by OneLittleSpark18
Summary: A new school year has begun for Marinette and Adrien; however, dark creatures lurk in the shadows... Fears will be unearthed. New villains and heroes will rise. Nothing will ever be the same again. Welcome to the final chapter of Miraculous- TALES. I do not own any of the Miraculous characters. I do extensive research so the story is as accurate as possible.
1. Prologue: Summer

**_I'm baaaaaccckkkk!_** **Hey readers!**

 **I know I said I might not write for a while. And I did... not write for a while. I updated the previous stories in the** ** _Miraculous_** **series (** ** _Revelation, The Kwami Code,_** **and** ** _Moments_** **); I felt like they needed a refresh/ polishing up since they were my first stories for MLB.**

 **DISCLAIMER: If you have not read the previous 3 stories in the** ** _Miraculous_** **series, it is doubtful this story will make much sense. It's actually been kicking around in my head since the first series was written. I just had no direction to take it in. Now with more details from S2 I can work with, maybe we can actually finish this** ** _Tale_** **. It actually had a GREAT redemption arc for Chloe that I wasn't feeling until** ** _Zombizou_** **came out; then I wish I hadn't deleted it! :( If I can remember most of the details and it fits the new narrative, I'll try to bring it back.**

 **Well, without further adieu, here is the first chapter of** ** _Miraculous: Tales_** **!**

"Curse you, Ladybug and Chat Noir! No matter what I do, it appears that you always win! Perhaps I should take a page out of your book. Perhaps it's time to find a partner…"

xXx

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I can't believe how fast the summer has flown by. There's been so much going on, I just haven't had time to write!_

 _First off, I'm happy to announce that Adrien and I are still together. It's everything I've dreamed and more! Now that we know each other's secret identity, our crime fighting has drastically improved. It's almost like we know what the other is thinking… We're still keeping our relationship on the down low except for our families and close friends. We told Nino and Alya pretty early on since we knew we wouldn't be able to hide it from them._

 _Now that we're more in sync, Master Fu has suggested we take the summer and improve our fighting techniques. Meaning: we actually train now. Adrien and I have taken up kickboxing and yoga. Nino and Alya decided to join us. She thought it would be a cute "couples' thing". Adrien and Nino have developed a knack for the kickboxing while Alya and I lean more towards yoga._

 _I think I've freaked Alya out a little. During one of our stretching periods, I may have done a perfect split without breaking a sweat. She wouldn't stop staring at me with her mouth open. Something's been up with her lately… We'll still talk, but things have been weird since the beginning of summer. Alya didn't even post about the biggest scoop to hit Paris: Ladybug and Chat Noir appear to be an item now ;)_

 _Well, I've got to sign off for now. Mom's taking me back to school shopping and we're picking up Adrien on the way!_

 _TTYL, Marinette_

 _ **Flashback to the beginning of Summer, Alya's POV**_

Alya burst into her room and flung herself onto the bed, frantically searching for her laptop. She needed to upload this video ASAP. She synced her phone and began the transfer. Seeing this would take some time, Alya called Nino and put him on speaker so she could edit the LadyBlog while they talked.

"NINO! You will _never_ believe what just happened!"

 _"_ _You calling me at 2:30 in the morning? I can believe that. *yawn* What happened?"_

"I followed up on that anonymous tip I got on the LadyBlog. When I got to the rooftop it mentioned, Ladybug and Chat Noir were there… _CUDDLING!"_

Nino suddenly sounded wide-awake. _"Whoa! Al, that's huge!"_

Alya grinned. Nino was so supportive of her budding journalism career. Sure, he could be an idiot at times, but he was her idiot. "It gets better! Just as I started filming, Chat started talking about how he and Ladybug had been friends for a while and that he wanted to change that. Nino, Chat Noir asked Ladybug on a date!"

She heard a crash, as if Nino had fallen out of bed. _"He actually asked her out? Seriously? What did Ladybug say?"_

"She said yes! And I got the WHOLE THING on video! I'm just now editing it. It's hard to see them in the dark." As Alya's fingers flew across the keys, her phone buzzed.

 _"_ _Who's sending you a text this late at night?"_

"I don't know. Oh. It's from Marinette. She's not usually up this late. She's a total grandma." Alya unlocked the phone to see what her friend had sent. "NO WAY. Oh my gosh Oh My gosh OH MY GOSH!"

 _"_ _Alya, what is it? What did Marinette say?"_

"He asked her out." Alya could barely breathe.

 _"_ _What? Who asked her out?"_

"Adrien! Your boy FINALLY asked out Marinette!"

 _"_ _Wow! Took him long enough. Any specifics?"_

Alya shook her head at her phone. "Nope. Just that he called her a few minutes ago and said he couldn't go to sleep until he had, and I QUOTE, 'finally secured a date with his favorite designer.'"

Nino belted out a laugh. _"That's my boy. As awkward as ever."_

Alya's fingers flew across the screen sending a reply text. "Do you realize how long I've been waiting for this? My OTP is finally happening!"

 _"_ _I've probably been waiting just as long… and isn't LadyNoir your OTP?"_

Alya rolled her eyes. "Pfft. I can have more than one OTP."

 _"_ _Al, OTP is One True Pairing."_

"Hey! No one asked for your stupid logic, smart boy! I'm happy, okay?" Alya paused for a moment in thought.

 _"_ _Alya? You still there?"_

There was a feeling that had begun to develop in Alya's gut. She had been able to shake it off up until now. "This is a little too perfect." She whispered.

 _"_ _What?"_

"Think about it. Ladybug and Chat Noir become an item the SAME night Marinette tells me about her and Adrien? Also, have you ever seen Adrien and Chat Noir or Marinette and Ladybug at the same time before?"

 _"_ _Alya, it's late. You're excited and tired. You need to get some sleep."_ There was a pause on the other line. _"Have I told you how proud I am of you?"_

Alya took the phone off of speaker and held it up to her ear, careful not to unplug it. "You only tell me about three thousand times a day. But yes. I know. Thank you Nino." She hesitated only a moment. "I love you."

While there was silence, she could almost hear her boyfriend smile. _"I love you too. Goodnight, Al."_

"Goodnight Nino." She hung up the phone. Alya glanced at her computer. The video was ready to upload. All she had to do was click a button. However, she still couldn't shake the feeling that Marinette and Adrien somehow had a connection with Ladybug and Chat Noir. With a few keystrokes and a swipe of the mouse, Alya moved the video off of the blog queue to her desktop and closed the Internet window. She couldn't prove it yet, but Alya was determined to uncover the identities of the caped crusaders if it was the last thing she did.

 **I feel like we're off to a good start!**

 **As this story is still in flux, I would appreciate any and all criticisms (some encouragement will go a long way too :p).**

 **I will actually be starting a new job soon, so writing/ uploading may be a bit sporadic. I encourage you to favorite and follow this story so you'll be the first to know when new chapters are uploaded.**

 **Until then, STAY CREATIVE!**


	2. Prologue: First Day and Flowers

**Hello Miraculars! Welcome back to another installment of** ** _Miraculous: Tales_** **!**

 **We are now officially in "Holiday" season! But we are also less than a month away from S2 Part 2 dropping on Netflix! YAY! That's going to be a fun day.**

 **I just want to give a quick shoutout: I love the Greatest Showman and there are some great Miraculous videos done to Greatest Showman tracks including** ** _This Is Me_** **(ThatCaiMarie),** ** _Rewrite the Stars_** **(Chat Noir),** ** _The Greatest Show_** **and** ** _The Other Side_** **(Levi Dubs and AMVs). I have a playlist with these kinds of videos to listen to while I write and these are some of my favorites! Please go give them a view on YouTube.**

 **Now without further adieu...**

Chapter 2: First Day and Flowers

"Girl, I can't believe that your anniversary with Adrien falls on the first day of school! What luck!" Alya threw her hands in the air.

Marinette laughed as the girls exited the Dupain-Cheng bakery on their way to school. "It's only three months. It's not that big a deal. I don't even think we're doing anything."

Alya wouldn't meet Marinette's eyes. "Three months? Has it been that long already?"

As they crossed the street, Marinette glanced at Alya. Things had become strange between them since she had started dating Adrien. Whenever the hung out, Alya questioned her about seemingly insignificant details, like about what happened to her during certain akuma attacks. Why would these things matter to her so much?

Marinette shook her head to clear her thoughts as they climbed the stairs. _Things should get back to normal soon._

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Marinette Dupain-Cheng." A familiar voice trilled. Marinette and Alya groaned as they turned to see Chloe at the bottom of the stairs.

"What do you want, Chloe? School hasn't even started yet." Alya put a hand on her hip. "Where's Sabrina?"

"Oh, she's still visiting family in America. She won't be back for another week." She smiled coyly. "Which means there'll be an empty seat next to _me_!"

Marinette rolled her eyes. _Chloe's such a drama queen._ "Very fascinating Chloe. And why is this such a big deal?"

"I know how much Nino would _love_ to sit next to his girlfriend this year and Adrien's too good of a friend to say no." Chloe flounced passed the girls. "That means he'll need a new place to sit…" She laughed as she left her suggestion hanging.

Alya's hands balled at her side. "Oooh! Why that girl gets off on putting other people down, I have no idea. There's no way Adrien would _ever_ sit with that diva." Marinette placed a hand on Alya's shoulder to calm her down.

"Alya, it's fine. Really. He can sit wherever he wants. I'm not worried. Besides, we're still not quite ready to go public yet."

The friends continued to chat as as they walked through the schoolyard and into the locker area. Everyone else filed in behind them. Marinette twirled the combination into her lock and swung the door open. Dozens of red roses spilled out. A fragrant aroma filled the room as everyone turned to look.

"Wow, Marinette!"

"Who sent you the flowers?"

"Who's the lucky guy?"

"WHY DOESN'T ANYONE SEND ME FLOWERS LIKE THAT? Who could possibly be sending romantic stuff to _her?_ "

Marinette tuned them all out as she reached into the locker, having spotted a note. It was a simple one-sided card written in green and black ink. _Happy 3 months, My Lady_. It was signed with a paw print. Marinette looked up and locked eyes with Adrien.

He was leaning against the back door, unnoticed by anyone. He smiled and winked at her, then left for class.

Marinette grinned as she carefully plucked a rose from the pile and tucked it behind her ear. _This is going to be a great year._

 **We'll see if that statement stands. Our new villain is lurking in the shadows... waiting for the opportune moment.**

 **This story will start gaining speed within the next few chapters with some curveballs appearing about chapter 6. I don't have everything mapped out yet, but I'm guesstimating about 2ish chapters to get the whole story told.**

 **Until next time, STAY CREATIVE!**


	3. Prologue: Another Reveal

**Hey guys! Just wanted to give you a brief update on where we are story-wise. I've written and completed 5 chapters and am working on the 6th. _However..._**

 **I have come across one of the most compelling fanfics I have ever seen. If you're a fan of** _ **Fairy Tail**_ **, you may know it: _Between the Lines_ by riverofmemories. It is SO well written and gradually (I mean _GRADUALLY_ ) builds up the relationships between the characters. It's quite refreshing, actually.**

 **So while I will eventually finish this story, there are others that have captured my attention. Who knows? It might just inspire me.**

 **Well now, without further adieu...**

Chapter 3:Another Reveal

Adrien knew that Marinette would like the surprise in her locker. It was unfortunate that their three-month anniversary fell upon the first day of school, but he still wanted to make it special. _One obstacle down, one to go._

Nino had already mentioned to Adrien that he wouldn't mind sitting next to Alya this year. Adrien was more than happy to oblige; this meant there would be an open seat next to Marinette. Sure, it would raise some questions, but none that he couldn't deflect.

Adrien was already seated in Alya's old seat when the rest of the class filed in. Nino and Alya followed the flow inside, holding hands. Noticing where Adrien sat, they grinned and gave him grateful nods. Marinette was right behind them. She hesitated only a moment before throwing him a side smile and joining him.

"ADRIKINS! I saved you a seat next to me!" Chloe waved him over.

He grimaced. "I'm good over here, Chloe." Her eyes flashed.

"Adrien. I think you're forgetting that I was your ONLY friend when you started here. I don't know why you would want to sit next to her. _She_ didn't even _like_ you!" Chloe pointed an accusatory finger in Marinette's direction. " _Hated_ you, even."

Adrien stood quickly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. He had finally had enough. "No. She hated what _you_ did, Chloe." He gestured to his classmates. "They _all_ hate what you do. Do you realize that you seem to be one of the main causes of akuma victims? It's because you don't care about anyone but yourself." Adrien heard the murmur of agreement from the rest of the class.

He crossed his arms and glanced at Marinette. Adrien knew she might not yet be ready to make their relationship official. But that's the great thing about having a bond like theirs. He caught the ever so subtle nod of her head; she was giving him the go-ahead.

Adrien gave a sly smile. "I especially don't appreciate you talking like that about my _girlfriend_." There was an audible gasp throughout the room. Fortunately, the conflict stopped there.

Ms. Bustier walked in and welcomed the class to the new school year. "Chloe, please close your mouth and stop staring at Marinette. Take your seat please."

Under the desk, Marinette squeezed Adrien's hand in gratitude. He couldn't keep the grin off his face. _This is going to be a great year._

 **Yes, this was a shorter chapter. There may be a few of those. It's just my thought process where some scenes/ ideas don't belong in the same chapter together, even with spaces or what not.**

 **I hope this is keeping you entertained. I promise, more action/ drama is soon to come!**

 **Until then, STAY CREATIVE!**


	4. Team Building: The Hard Truth

**So yes. The last update was only a few days ago, but I've been feeling guilty leaving y'all with such a short chapter this week. Who knows, if I have less chapters already up and ready to go, it might be the swift kick in the pants I need to work on unwritten** **chapters :)**

 **THIS IS THE STORY I WANTED TO TELL WITH CHLOE! Ok, not** ** _exact..._** **but I've remembered a lot of the original story I wanted to do with her and added in some new details based on S2 so far (maybe minor spoilers?). Chloe is a character what has so much potential, but I think the Miraculous writing team may be missing some opportunities. I'll see what I can do here.**

 **Enjoy!**

For the rest of the day, Chloe kept to herself. With Sabrina still on vacation, no one even glanced in her direction. As the final bell rang, Chloe was the last to leave the room.

During the last class, rain had begun to pour outside. Stepping outside to confront the monsoon, Chloe realized she had left her umbrella on the breakfast table that morning. It was now apparent that her driver was late as well. Chloe sighed, realizing it was probably best that she walk home. _It's not that far, right?_ The girl hoisted her designer bag above her head in an effort to protect herself from the falling rain. The wet walk to the _Grand Paris_ hotel allowed her some clarity and perspective.

 _I've never seen Adrien that mad at me before, not even when I called the fire department during that baker's presentation… Have I truly lost my friend?_

Luckily it did not take much time for Chloe to be safe in the lobby of her father's hotel. The other constant in Chloe's life, her butler, ran over the instant he caught sight of the soaking heiress.

"Mademoiselle! What a relief it is to see you alright! Your driver just called to say that you were not at the school. What on earth possessed you to walk home in a storm like this?" His beratement was cut short as Chloe, cheeks covered in black mascara trails, held out her now ruined purse.

"Do you think we can save it? Mother bought it for me before she left last time." Her voice was small. Butler Jean smiled at the poor child.

"I will certainly try, miss. Can I bring you anything once you get dried off?"

Chloe waved a hand as she moved towards the elevator. "You know what I like."

A nice hot shower set Chloe in a better mood. Noticing the time, she decided to see if Sabrina was available in New York to video chat. Chloe needed to vent about today!

 _"Oh, hey Chloe. How was school today?"_

"Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" The blonde threw her long trail of hair over her shoulder. "Adrien refused to sit next to me this year, he _humiliated_ me in front of the entire class by saying _I_ cause most of the akuma attacks, and it gets WORSE! It looks like Mari-Trash has tricked _my_ Adrikins into falling for her." Sabrina made no sound or movement. Chloe rapidly smashed her finger into the screen. "Did the video freeze? SABRINA! Answer me! We need to do something about this!"

 _"You wanted Adrien to sit next to you? You were going to replace me?"_

"What? Of course not. I just didn't want him sitting next to baker girl."

 _"HER NAME IS MARINETTE!"_ Sabrina's outburst startled Chloe, almost causing her to drop her phone. _"You know what her name is; don't pretend like you don't."_

"What's gotten into you, Sabrina? You've always been right alongside me when I put her down. Why are you defending her now?"

 _"I've always hated making fun of her, of others, Chloe. You just never stopped to ask."_ Sabrina's eyes began to water, her bottom lip quavering. _"You're one of my best friends Chlo, but you are also one of the meanest people on the planet; a planet that includes Hawkmoth."_

Chloe's eyes also began to mist, not believing the words coming from her friend. "What are you saying, Sabrina?"

 _"I'm saying this because I care about you. You need to hear the hard truth: nobody really likes you."_

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT?" All of Chloe's pent up anger, sadness, uselessness flooded her, surprising herself with her outburst. "My own _mother_ doesn't even like to be around me! I'm not completely blind, Sabrina! I've just always had my friends to fall back on." The tears began to flow. "But if I don't have you or Adrien…"

 _"You'll finally have to look in the mirror."_ For the first time in the conversation, Sabrina sounded sympathetic. _"And you're afraid of what you'll see?"_ Chloe's head bobbed. _"Well that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Maybe you can become a better person through this."_

A muffled voice called to Sabrina off screen. _"Coming, Dad! Sorry Chloe. We're going out to lunch with my aunt and uncle. They managed to get us reservations at this place called The Grill? It's supposed to be pretty fancy."_

Chloe sniffled. "When are you coming back again?"

 _"Probably in a couple days. Dad still wants to see a couple tourist spots. I'll make sure to get you a souvenir."_ Chloe sneered through her tears.

"It better not be one of those tacky 'I Heart NY' shirts." Sabrina gave an uncharacteristically confident grin.

 _"I'll see you in a few days Chloe. Bye!"_

"Bye…" The girl lowered the phone, cuddling up further into her shag blanket. Why was it that even though she just spoke to her friend, she still felt so alone? Her head lifted at the sound of a knock at the door. "Come in." Her voice was weak from crying.

It was Butler Jean. "I've brought Mademoiselle her favorite hot chocolate from Charles Chocolatier with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkles, along with a fresh batch of Chief Césaire's chocolate marshmallow bonbons." He placed the tray on the coffee table next to the couch Chloe was lounged on.

"Thanks Jean Jacques." Chloe lifted one of the chocolate concoctions to her lips. Her eyes caught the edge of an oddly shaped box hidden behind the steaming mug. "Jean Claude? What's this box on the tray?"

Butler Jean glanced over his shoulder. "I don't know, Mademoiselle. It was waiting for you when you arrived home today. I thought a present might make you feel better." He bowed, closing the door behind him.

Chloe rotated until her feet touched the ground, reaching for the box. A tiny note was wedged under the twine which encased the box. _Be not afraid of growing slowly. Be afraid of only standing still. You are capable of great things; will you take the first step?_ Intrigued, Chloe slowly lifted the lid.

A striped hair ornament lay on the velvet lining of the box. "A hair do-dad? How can _this_ help me?" The girl scoffed, about to close the lid. All of a sudden, an orb of yellow light emerged from the box, swirling around Chloe. She stifled a scream, dropping the box. A fluffy creature formed from the light.

"I believe that is my job." Its big blue eyes blinked slowly. "Are you ready to begin, my Queen?"

 **Prepare to enter Hero Bootcamp with your drill sergeant... Pollen! Will Chloe be up to the task of being a hero? Find out... when the story revisits our new friends!**

 **See ya next week and STAY CREATIVE!**


	5. Team Building: The Real One

**Okay guys, here's another shorter chapter, but it's essential to the story.**

 **Enjoy!**

Alya walked quickly home from school. Marinette and Adrien decided to have an impromptu date after school, so Alya walked home alone. This gave her time to work on her secret project. Her mom was working late at the _Grande Paris_ restaurant and her dad was training a new set of zookeepers. Aside from her siblings zombified by the TV, Alya had the house to herself. As she walked in, Alya grabbed the mail and quickly leafed through it.

"Did Nora stop by to get that box of stuff Mom had for her?" Alya inquired

"No. But this came just before you got in." Not even looking up from her show, one of Alya's sisters held up a package. It was a small black box, a note wrapped to it. Alya took it from her and ran up the stairs.

Pinned to one of her larger walls was everything Alya knew about Ladybug and Chat Noir; one of the twins caught a peak of it once, appropriately calling it her 'conspiracy wall'. On the far side of the wall were various pictures of Alya with Nino, Adrien, and Marinette, with the faces of the latter two circled. She was still on the theory that the two couples were somehow connected.

She threw her bag onto her bed and began inspecting the box. Alya unwound the note. It read, _You're on the right track. They will need you._

"What is this?" Alya whispered to herself as she opened the box. Her eyes widened as a bright light filled the room. A small shape began to emerge from the light. It shook it self, squeaked, then opened its eyes.

"Hello Alya."

Alya just sat there with her mouth open. "You're a…"

The creature sighed. "Yes. I am a fox. I am actually a kwami. This is just the form that best suits me." This shook the girl from her stupor.

"Wait. If you're a kwami, then this," Alya picked up the necklace inside the box. A fox tail pendant hung from the chain. "This is a Miraculous, isn't it?"

The kwami smiled, nodding her large head. "You're a fast learner, aren't you? That's good. My name is Trixx. I was sent to you because something big is coming. Ladybug and Chat Noir will need your help. They just don't know it yet." Trixx moved towards the open window. "Come on. We have a meeting to keep."

Alya clasped the necklace around her neck. "Who are we meeting?"

Trixx grinned. "The one with the all the answers."

 **I wonder what the next chapter will be called? :0**

 **STAY CREATIVE!**


	6. Team Building: All the Answers

"Hanging out with your parents today was a great idea, Bugaboo!" Chat commented as he and Ladybug flew over the Paris rooftops on patrol. "Who knew your dad had a thing for puns! I think we're a _purrfect_ match." Ladybug threw him an irritated smile. "I'm _yeast_ kidding!"

The duo continued to fly across Paris until they reached the Eiffel Tower. There, they stood and looked out over the city; the City of Lights lived up to its name, twinkling in the night. Chat Noir hugged Ladybug from behind.

"I'm glad you're my partner, Marinette." He whispered. "I wouldn't want to share this with anyone else."

Ladybug turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Ditto. Just remember what I told you about calling me 'Marinette' on patrol."

"Yes mam."

Just as the two were about to kiss, Ladybug's yoyo began buzzing. They pulled apart, groaning. Then, they looked at the yoyo. Who else had the number to Ladybug's magical object?

"Hello?" she asked tentatively. Her eyes went wide. "Master Fu? Wha- Right now?" Chat raised his eyebrows quizzically. Ladybug shrugged, still in the dark herself. "Yes. We're just at the Tower. We'll be there soon."

"What's all the commotion? Master Fu's never called us like this before."

"I don't know. He just said to meet him at his dojo. It was urgent."

Chat Noir smiled and grabbed her hand. "Well then, there's no time to waste!" He cat-a-pulted off the Eiffel Tower towards the next line of rooftops, Ladybug following closely behind."

xXx

 _I hope everything's okay with Master Fu. It's rare for Hawkmoth to akumatize someone this late…_ Ladybug's thoughts ran rampant as she and Chat landed on the roof of Master Fu's Chinese Medicine practice. They entered through the skylight, as they normally did when they met with the master.

They found him sitting on the floor of the main room, facing away from the door toward the shadows.

"Master Fu? Are you alright?" Ladybug felt like something was off.

"Reveal yourself." At first, the heroes believed he was speaking to them. Then, a figure emerged from the shadows. A very familiar figure…

"VOLPINA!" Ladybug gasped. She and Chat Noir immediately assumed defensive positions in front of Master Fu, ready to protect him.

"Lila! What are you doing here?" Chat growled. "How did you become akumatized again?" He lowered his baton slightly. "Did Hawkmoth upgrade your costume?" Ladybug nudged him in the ribs.

"Focus Chat!"

"Lila? Nonono! It's not what you think!" The girl shook her hands vigorously. "I'm not an akuma victim! I was given the REAL fox necklace. Ask him!" She pointed to the man behind them. The two glanced at Master Fu, but the looks on their faces remained doubtful.

"They will never believe you, my dear, unless you show them who you really are." Master Fu stroked his chin calmly.

The woman looked concerned. "I thought a hero never Reveals their identity? That's why Chat Noir and Ladybug still don't know who each other are, right?" The two heroes glanced at one another, a guilty look creeping up their faces. "And why would they trust me after knowing who I am?"

Master Fu shut his eyes. "All will be revealed in time." The figure nodded and took a deep breath. "Trixx, Detransform." A bright light began at her feet, working its way up her body. Both heroes gasped aloud. Ladybug's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Alya?"

xXx

"Alya? Why do you have a Miraculous?" Chat Noir had a better grasp on his words at the moment as compared to Ladybug. No sound came from her as she stared at her best friend. "Master, no offense to Alya, but why have you given her a Miraculous?"

"Very similar to the reasons I gave you your Miraculous, Adrien." All eyes snapped to the boy.

" _ADRIEN?_ " Alya almost couldn't breathe. Her gaze turned to the spotted heroine. "If Chat Noir is Adrien, then that means…"

Ladybug sighed. "Tikki, Spots Off."

"Ladybug…" Chat hissed; glitter and light swirled around his girlfriend.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Adrien." Marinette grumbled as Tikki shot into her purse to search for a cookie; and to escape the drama about to unfold. Chat glared at Master Fu for a moment before releasing his own transformation.

Alya backed away, her eyes wide. "I knew it…" Her voice barely above a whisper. Marinette moved towards her best friend, trying to explain.

"Later Marinette. I have brought you all here for a purpose." Master Fu moved to the phonograph and entered the code. The three teens stood nearby, Alya keeping her distance from the couple. The device opened to reveal the Miracle Box. The top most level contained divided sections for seven Miraculouses: the Cat, the Ladybug, the Turtle, the Fox, the Bee, the Butterfly, and the Peacock. All of them were now empty. He stroked the side of the box.

 **"** It has been quiet as of late. Hawkmoth has akumatized fewer victims, crime is down, and Paris is at peace. We have let our guard down, my children. Your kwamis may not have mentioned it, but they feel restless. They feel something… _big_ …looming on the horizon, biding time.

"I believe a malevolent spirit has taken possession of Dessu's Peacock Miraculous and that he or she is now in league with Hawkmoth." Gasps and stifled cries echoed off the wood paneling. "His desire for the wish granted by the combined powers of the Cat ring and Ladybug earrings could spell disaster for Paris, the world even. This _cannot_ happen." Master Fu glided purposefully to the center of the room and sat on the padded platform. He gestured that the others should join him.

"I have recruited new allies to assist you with this new evil. One is Alya Césaire, the new holder of Trixx and her Fox Miraculous. The other, the holder of Pollen and her Bee Miraculous, has been summoned; however, she needs to be trained. Pollen will see to it that she becomes a true hero, like the rest of you. Once she is ready, she will make herself known to you. Do not push her before then." A kind mist clouded the master's eyes. "You may see her out and about in the city. If the need arises, you may help her; but this is a journey that she needs to undertake. Let her take it in her own time."

Master Fu stood and motioned to the door. "It is late. You should all be getting home. Or at least talk of what has transpired here tonight." He turned, clearly dismissing the team. No one spoke as they crossed the threshold. Only Adrien turned back as he shut the door softly.

 _What have we done?_

 **I'll say that this chapter has evolved the most since this story's initial conception more than a year ago.**

 **From here on out, I don't know where this tale will lead. Let's find out together, shall we? :)**

 **Til next time, STAY CREATIVE!**


	7. Team Building: Coffee and Conversation

**Hey everybody! Y'all get the new chapter a day early since I will be WAY too busy to post anything tomorrow. Enjoy!**

While it was later than most people were usually out, the teens found an outdoor café that remained open. Everyone ordered food and coffees. They all wanted to stay awake for what was to come.

"So…" Alya was the first to break the awkward silence that had settled. She took a sip of her hot drink before continuing. "You're… _them_?" Despite wanting answers, Alya knew better than to blurt out something this sensitive in a public place. She may have issues with her friends, but they were still her friends.

"Yeah. We are." Marinette had not taken her eyes off of Alya. To Adrien, this seemed like something serious between the two girls; he decided to keep quiet unless his input was needed. "What did you mean earlier when you said, 'I knew it'?"

Alya mumbled into her beverage. "Ever since the summer when I got an anonymous tip that lead to Chat Noir asking out Ladybug and then you sent me a text the same night about Adrien finally asking you the same thing, I've been suspicious that both couples had something in common." She smiled wryly. "I guess a reporters' instincts are never wrong."

"Wait a minute!" Both girls turned to Adrien at his outburst. "Marinette, you sent her the text the same night I sent the tip? I thought we agreed to do them several weeks apart!"

Marinette huffed. "Well _excuse_ me, Mr. My-Life-Is-So-Scheduled if I wanted to tell my best friend that the guy she's tried to get me together with for YEARS finally asked me out properly… even if it was a bit late. I didn't think about it being the same night." She gripped his hand in hers. "Sorry." He merely shrugged.

"Nothing to be sorry about, Bugaboo. Because now, we have a new ally!" He gestured excitedly to Alya. His smile quickly diminished at the scowl on the reporter's face. She pointed the spoon from her soup at him fiercely.

"Don't think I forgot about the whole dating my best friend as Chat Noir behind my back, Agreste. I'm going to give you the same speech I gave you at her house, because now it's more important." She slammed her palms to the table, leaning in towards him. "I don't have a problem with you two dating. However, I _will_ have problem if you ever hurt her. Marinette has lots of friends who care about her. Now, her best friend is a superhero. I don't care if you're one too; NO ONE will find what happens to you if she gets hurt somehow. Clear?"

He nodded fervently. "Crystal." He has now had that same speech twice in less than a year. It would be etched in the boy's memory for life.

Marinette reached for Ayla's hand. "Is this why you've been weird and distant these past few months? I just thought it was that we weren't spending enough time together…" As Alya returned to her seat, Marinette and Adrien noticed a few tears pooling behind her glasses.

"I guess that was part of it. But what also pained me was how instant you were together. Nino and I aren't anywhere close to your level. There wasn't even an awkward stage. You two just… clicked." A tear snaked down her cheek; Alya stubbornly wiped it away. "That was one of the things I observed that made me think that you were Ladybug and Chat Noir. I was so certain I knew what was going on, but like I told that guy earlier, heroes aren't supposed to reveal their identities. Even if I KNEW my best friend was Ladybug, we could never talk about it." She scoffed at how childish she was being. "This is stupid, I know"

"No!" Marinette moved to the seat beside Alya to wrap an arm around her friend's shoulder. "Nothing that makes you this upset is stupid. I've felt the same way." Alya glanced over as Marinette's eyes glistened as well. "Do you have any idea how many times I've wanted to tell you about a new maneuver I worked on to take down akumas or a dumb pun that Chat made?" A grumble came from Adrien, but the two ignored him. "Alya, you're my _best friend_. There's nothing I wouldn't share with you… My hands were tied on this matter."

The dam holding back tears burst as the young women embraced, tears flowing down both of their cheeks. Adrien quietly excused himself, so he could go deal with the bill.

Both girls released a shaky breath as they separated. "Are we okay?" Marinette inquired, wiping her tears from her face.

"Yeah. We'll be okay." Alya fingered her new necklace. "I promise we're good. I might just need some time to myself for a while, until I get a proper grasp on things. Maybe I'll do some training with Trixx." She rested a reassuring hand on Marinette's arm. "But if you guys need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I'll be there in a flash."

As Marinette yawned, Alya checked her phone. "Yikes! I need to get home before I'm grounded for life! And you need to get _that one,_ " Ayla pointed at Adrien as he returned to the table, "back home before his Father sends his personal army all over the city."

The group thanked their waiter for such great service. Adrien made sure to tip him well. The girls embraced one more time, Adrien fist-bumping Alya.

"So, what should we call you?" One final question before they split for the night.

Alya thought it over with a smile. "Call me… _Rena Rouge_."

 **Now that we've seen Alya, maybe we check back in with our other new heroine...**

 **STAY CREATIVE!**


	8. A Hero Is: Lessons

**Hello everyone! Sorry about the (extreme) delay in uploading. You know how life can get.**

 **This was a very fun chapter to write and even my editor thought the premise for where I was going was interesting.**

 **Well, I hope you enjoy it!**

Chloe glanced over her shoulder at the sound of laughter. She sighed as she saw that Marinette was the source of the outbreak. Apparently, whatever she had said had sent Adrien, Nino, and Alya into hysterics. The pencil in Chloe's hand was dangerously close to snapping, she gripped it so tightly. Slowly breathing in and out, she reflected on the first hero lesson Pollen had given her the other night.

 _Flashback_

"Clear your mind." Pollen slowly circled Chloe as she sat in a meditative position on her bed. A small water feature pleasantly trickled droplets as calming scents emanated from nearby candles. "There are many qualities that make a True Hero. We will go over a few each day until you master them all, along with your physical training."

Chloe opened one eye. "I though all a hero needed were superpowers. Surely I can figure it out from there… Ouch!" The girl slapped a hand to the back of her neck." Did you _sting_ me or something?" Pollen lowered herself to eye level with her new charge.

"Listen to me, child. Kwamis have some say in who their Holders are. Master Fu and several of the other kwamis have told me about you and what a brat you are." Pollen ignored the indignant sound Chloe made. "I have been the kwami of Subjection for a millennia. Believe it or not, I may have learned a trick or two in that time. It may be wise for you to hear what I have to say. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Chloe liked how spunky the kwami was. _This could be interesting_.

"Very good. Close your eyes." The girl returned to her meditative state, breathing in and out slowly. "The first quality that makes a hero is Love. As a hero, love is a desire to protect your city and its people from those who do them harm. Sometimes, it is about finding that one person to motivate you to strive to keep them safe."

Pollen settled on Chloe's knee. She barely noticed. "Do you have a person like this, my Queen?" The kwami noticed Chloe's breath hitch slightly.

"If it were anyone, it would probably be my friend Adrien. He's always protected me; it would be nice to protect him for once. But we had a fight recently. He may hate me now." A tear rolled down her powdered cheek. Pollen flew up and caught it.

"That's the great thing about love! Love is unconditional. If he's truly your friend, he won't hate you. Now, what is the first quality of a hero, child?"

"Uh, love. Love means unconditionally protecting the city and my friends from anyone who would want to harm them, right?"

"Correct!"

"Pollen? What if I'm afraid?" Chloe pulled her knees to her chest as she opened her eyes. "A lot of the akumas out there are terrifying. What happens then?" A puff of yellow circled her head, then settled on the girl's raised knees.

"That's where the next quality comes in: Joy. As a hero, joy is saving people with a smile on your face to put them at ease. You are only human. It is natural to feel fear. However, as a hero, if you visibly show your fear while you are trying to save someone, they will be afraid. Sharing a smile will show them that everything will be alright." Pollen lifted a nubbed appendage to caress Chloe's face. "It's like what parent's do when a child falls down. They smile, take care of them, and set them on their way."

A small grin escaped the girl's notice. "Adrien is almost always smiling. It used to make me feel so safe." The grin fell. "I guess I may never get a smile like that again."

Pollen flew into Chloe's personal space. "What makes you think so? Have you apologized to those who you have wronged? Have you shown them that you are capable of change?"

"Not in this timeline, anyway." Chloe muttered.

"What?"

"No!" Chloe shouted. "I haven't apologized to anyone. No one would take me seriously. I've hurt too many people."

"Then start out small. Start out with your friend Adrien. What about his group of friends you've told me about?" Chloe grimaced. "If you've wronged them and you _truly want to change_ , you have to take this first step. That is the next quality of a hero: Peace."

The kwami fluttered about the room. "You are not a solider, child. You are meant to be a peace-keeper. As a hero, you will be called upon to fight – maybe sooner rather than later – but be ready to extend the olive-branch of peace. Do you understand?"

 _Return to the present_

The ringing of the dismissal bell jarred Chloe back to the present. She packed her bag quickly, wanting to catch Adrien and the others.

"Adrien!" Chloe caught up to them outside on the front steps. Adrien and the others turned to her apprehensively. None of them had spoken a word to her since their altercation in class several days earlier. At the sight of their harsh gazes, Chloe shrank back into herself a little bit. This was going to be hard enough without them being critical of every move she made.

"What do you want, Chloe?" Marinette crossed her arms across her chest. Chloe swallowed the snarl that crept to her lips. "We've got places to be."

A comforting nudge from Chloe's bag gave her the courage she needed. "Believe me, Du-Pain Cheng. You'll want to hear this." _Deep breath._ "I'm sorry." A collective silence.

"Did you just… _apologize_?" Alya pushed her glasses back up her nose. "I must have heard you wrong."

"No. You heard me right. I. Am. Sorry." The blonde wrapped her arms around herself. "I… uh… have a new… life-coach… who has shown me that I can be a better person than I am now. My first step is to start being a peace-maker. This is me extending an… olive branch." Chloe turned to Nino.

"Nino. I hardly really talk to you, but when I do, I realize I put down something that you are passionate about. I am sorry for trying to make you feel less pride in your DJ-ing skills. Can you accept my apology and find it in your heart to forgive me?" She offered her hand.

No one spoke.

"Yeah dude!" Nino shook the offered hand. Chloe let out the breath she had been holding. "I know that took guts, so thanks Chloe."

Chloe then turned to the reporter. "Alya. I've probably been meaner to you and Marinette than anyone else. Ever since you moved here, I knew that you would be a force of nature. Honestly? That scared me. Your tenacity and willing to go the extra mile to get what you want, but not crossing the line, is something I envy. I also want to thank you for starting the LadyBlog." Alya's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Everyone knows how big a fan I am of Ladybug; however, not everyone knows how much I like chatting with other fans anonymously online about theories and mutual adoration. Without you, I wouldn't have that community. Can you accept my apology and find it in your heart to forgive me?" Again, she offered her hand.

Again, no one spoke.

Finally, Nino nudged his girlfriend. She waved him off. "Yes Chloe. You _have_ been incredibly mean to me and Marinette. This is not something that can be forgotten overnight."

"Nor would I want it to be!" Chloe protested. "I deserve your hatred. I just want to try and make things right."

Alya rolled her eyes. "Well, you'd be on the right track if you didn't interrupt me." Chloe clamped her mouth shut. "But, like Nino said, this takes guts. I do accept your apology. The forgiveness thing may come in time, though." Tentatively, Alya took the girls hand.

Tears began pooling in Chloe's eyes. She quickly wiped them away as she faced Adrien. "Adrien, we've been friends since before we can remember. We've seen each other grow up. I've seen you fight to be your own man under your father's thumb. I couldn't be prouder of the man you've become." Flicking her eyes to the sky, Chloe took a shaky breath. "To be honest, I wish you could have been my man. But I know when to give up. I'm sorry I could not rise to the standards you have. I only ask that you give me another chance to show you that I _can_ be the person you know I can be. Can you accept my apology and find it in your heart to forgive me?" Chloe slowly lifted her hand. Without hesitating, Adrien pulled her into a side hug.

"Of course, I forgive you, Chlo. I remember when it was you and me against the world." He hugged her tighter. "I'm glad that you've got someone you can talk to about this stuff. Just know I'll always be here for you, okay?" He kissed the top of her head and released her. Chloe was glad she decided to wear the water proof mascara today.

Finally, she turned to the person she dreaded the most. A pair of piercing blue eyes met her own. "Marinette Du-Pain Cheng. I have made your life a living hell since kindergarten. I have no excuse for that. I simply hated you. As we grew up, I realized _why_ I hated you." Marinette's face hardened. "You had parents that came to every career day, sent you to school with handmade lunches, actually cared for you. Yes, Daddy cares for me, but he cares more about me liking him than actually parenting me." Chloe didn't even see Marinette's face anymore. She had opened a gate.

"You're not afraid to stand up for what you believe in or for your friends. You actually grew a spine this past year and told me off several times. Yes, it is admirable; however, just know that there have been times where you have been just as ruthless to me as I have been to you." The tears stopped as Chloe's gaze sharpened. "I forgive you for that. You've apologized for a few instances, but even for those you haven't, I forgive you.

"There is too much history between us for me to apologize for every individual thing I've done to you; just know that I am sorry. Can you accept my apology and find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Before Chloe could even lift her hand, she found herself crushed into a bear hug. Marinette herself was in tears.

"Chloe, I _am_ sorry for what I've done to you. I _do_ accept your apology and I _do_ forgive you." Wiping the tears from her face, Marinette pulled back. "Like everyone's been saying, I know how hard that was for you- especially with me. I don't know who your new life coach is, but whoever it is has the right idea." The bluenette pulled the blonde into another hug. "If you ever need to talk or just want to hang out, let us know, okay? We're here for you like Adrien said." Chloe's legs gave out from under her as sobs wracked her body.

The girls sank to the ground together. Adrien, Nino, and Alya knelt down to join the group hug. From her place in Chloe's bag, Pollen buzzed with pleasure and pride. Maybe there was hope for this lost soul after all.

 **I really do have another chapter in the works, I promise! Just between real life and inspiration, it may take a bit to get it up. Thank you for all of your patience!**

 **STAY CREATIVE!**


	9. A Hero Is: Winds of Change

**Happy Tuesday readers!**

 **I was struggling to come up with a title for this chapter, but the recent episode Stormy Weather 2 inspired me (don't worry, no spoilers. But for those of you that are hating on SW2, go look at a blog Thomas Astruc retweeted recently about the episode. It breaks it down and really explains everything in detail).**

 **Without further adieu, Chapter 9:** ** _The Winds of Change._**

Chapter 9:

 _"_ _Goooooood morning, Paris! It's time to rise and shine!"_ Marinette's alarm turned on to the local radio station as a new show started. _"I know it's early, but here's something to put a pep in your step."_ Marinette's sleepy eyes cracked open as a new American pop song blasted over the airwaves.

 _"_ _I wake up in the morning  
Wide awake for the day  
And I say, "What a morning!"  
It's all okay…"_

Despite how little sleep she got last night due to patrol, Marinette jumped out of bed, oddly refreshed. For once, she wasn't running behind; because of this, the girl decided to use the time wisely. Forgoing her usual outfit, Marinette flicked through several options until settling on something she had bought with her mother last week. She even took more care with her hair and makeup. Once she was satisfied with everything, Marinette took one last look in the mirror.

She had elected to wear her hair down today, only adorned with a lightweight blue beret. The girl felt very comfortable in her black leggings, ending in a new pair of grey ankle boots. The ensemble was topped with a cream-colored sweater that came down to about mid-thigh. It was one of those comfortable chunky sweaters with the long-oversized sleeves. Oh yes; this was a good choice.

"Morning, sweetie." Sabine turned to the stairs as she heard her daughter moving around upstairs. "Wow! That's a new look. Any reason in particular you're switching things up?" She pushed a plate of breakfast down the counter.

Marinette shrugged. "Nope. Just felt like something different." As she munched on her breakfast, Marinette shared her thought. "Maman, I feel… kind of strange this morning. Like… I'm not dreading the day ahead. This is the first time I've felt this way since… kindergarten."

Sabine thoughtfully dried a dish with her towel. "Could this have anything to do with Chloe's apology?"

"Maybe…"

"Well, maybe if you get there early this morning, you two can have a talk. Your father made you something to give your friends." Her mother retrieved a box from next to the refrigerator. Opening the lid, Marinette noticed that it was several different types of chocolates. "Your father keeps your friends' favorite flavors on file for special occasions. He looked back through our records to figure out what Chloe likes. Who knew that chocolate marshmallow bon-bons were a thing?"

Rising from her seat, Marinette kissed her mother on the cheek and rinsed her plate to put it into the dishwasher. "Tell Papa thanks for me. I think I'll go ahead and head towards school." She grabbed her backpack and waved behind her. "See you for lunch!"

xXx

Marinette sipped the coffee she had purchased at the kiosk outside of the school. As class representative, she had worked with her fellow reps to petition the school to allow third party food and beverage vendors to sell their wares before and after school. A few had become clear favorites among the student population. One of the vendors was friends with Marinette's father, using the same practice of memorizing his customers' usual orders. Marinette had taken advantage of this, also asking for what Chloe normally got.

After the revelations of the day before and seeing that Chloe was actually trying to mend fences, Marinette wanted to make a contribution too.

"Marinette?" The girl swung her head as Chloe walked up beside her. "Are you early? That _never_ happens." Marinette smirked.

"What? People can't change, Chloe?" The blonde gave a wry smile in response. "If not, I _guess_ I can give this Caramel Macchiato, venti, skim, extra shot, extra-hot, extra-whip, sugar-free concoction to someone else…" Marinette dangled the coffee away from Chloe.

"No!" Chloe made a grab for the cup, careful not to spill on either one of them. "I… always knew you had it in you?" The bluenette patted her shoulder.

"It's a start. I wanted to extend an olive branch of my own." The girls sipped their coffee as they moved among the crowded courtyard to the locker room. "So is Sabrina still in the states with her family?"

Chloe glanced at her designer watch. "I think they're on the plane now. With the time difference, she should be back in school tomorrow or the day after." Reaching their respective lockers, Chloe twirled her combination into the lock. "Why so curious?"

Marinette shrugged as she put her overcoat into the locker. "Well, if you don't already have any lunch plans, we were going to invite you to my place for lunch."

"We?"

"Yeah. Adrien, Alya, Nino, myself…"

"Oh fun. Being a fifth wheel sounds SO much better than eating by myself." Chloe swung her locker door shut with a little too much force, making it slam. Marinette swung her door with the same amount of force. With all of the commotion, the students that had already gathered began to glance their way.

"Come on, Chloe! You made some good progress yesterday! What would your life coach say? Would they want you sitting alone or attempting to make some new friends?" Suddenly aware of all the attention they were receiving, Marinette took Chloe by the arm and moved them into the hallway. "My mom really wants to meet you." The blonde girl's eyes widened. "Yes, she knows about every underhanded thing you've ever done to me. But you know what? She was ecstatic when I told her what happened yesterday. It was actually her idea to bring you to lunch."

Tears once again began to glisten in Chloe's eyes. "Your mother… was _happy_ about that? She really wants to meet me?" Marinette rubbed Chloe's arm reassuringly.

"Yes! She and my dad even made you something." As Marinette pulled the box of chocolates out of her bag, the school's akuma alarm began to blare.

 _ALL STUDENTS PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST CLASSROOM. AN AKUMA ATTACK IS IN PROGRESS. PLEASE PROCEED TO THE NEAREST CLASSROOM FOR YOUR SAFETY._

"I gotta go!" Marinette and Chloe dashed off in opposite directions.

 **Next chapter is on the way! Hopefully sometime within the next two weeks!**

 **STAY CREATIVE!**


	10. A Hero Is: Taco 'Bout It

**Good evening Miraculars! I want to apologize for how long it has taken me to post it. Something about it felt... off... mainly because I wanted to give y'all more story in this chapter. However, with the way the story is flowing, I have to accept that this is a smaller chapter. I hope you enjoy it regardless.**

 **Fun quick story though: I was wearing a Ladybug sweatshirt I had made (just a comfy version of the top have of Ladybug's costume) and someone (an ADULT!) at a restaurant I was in asked if I watched Miraculous! It made me SO happy!**

 **Ok; back to your regularly scheduled programming:**

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

"Mayura, I feel negative emotions. This would be a good time to practice your powers. We need you to grow stronger if we are to succeed…"

A womanly figure joined Hawkmoth by the open window. "I agree my dear. What shall we do with him?"

 ** _Back at the School…_**

Once Chloe was a safe enough distance away, she opened her handbag for Pollen to fly out. "Okay. My first akuma. What should I do?"

"This is a good opportunity for the next quality of a True Hero: Patience. I know you are eager to see battle," Pollen looped around Chloe's head. "However, you still require training. Taking a breath to see things from a fresh perspective will do you good as a hero and in your civilian life. For now, help with the crowd control and keeping everyone safe. Are you ready, My Queen?"

"I guess…" Chloe wanted to be of more help, but deep down she knew the kwami was right. "Let's give it a shot. Pollen, BUZZ ON!"

xXx

"Mar-Ladybug!" Ladybug turned at the sound. Chat Noir and Rena Rouge appeared to help. "Sorry. Still not used to that." Rena panted. "Who was akumatized?" The spotted heroine pointed to the ground below.

"It was the taco vendor from school; the one trying to get everyone to try the Mexican version? I think he finally became frustrated that no one gave it a chance. Now, he's become…"

"I AM EL CAMPESINO! You hoity-toity French refuse to try my amazing tacos! Now, you will be FORCED to like them! HAHAHAHAHA!"

The super trio exchanged a weary glance. "Okay. I've seen enough." Chat slung his extended baton across his shoulders. "What's the plan, Bugaboo?"

"Rena Rouge, since you're still getting the hang of things, you can help with crowd control and getting people to safety." Ladybug saw her friend deflate a little at the command but perked up immediately.

"You can count on me, LB!" The Fox jumped from the roof to begin her mission.

Ladybug turned to Chat. "Chat, you and I will," She was cut short by a quick kiss.

Chat grinned. "Hi."

"Hi." Despite trying to remain professional, Ladybug could feel a rush of heat to her cheeks. "Now is not the time, Kitty. We need to find El Campesino's akuma."

xXx

"Everyone this way! Please keep calm. Ladybug and Chat Noir will defeat the akuma shortly." Rena Rouge beckoned the bystanders to a street that lead to a safer area. "Right now, you all need to evacuate the area." _Man, I wish I could be getting footage for the LadyBlog. This would be a great vantage point of the fight!_

"Thank you for helping keep our city safe!" A kindly old woman shook Rena's gloved hand as her son lead her away. The girl sighed. _As much fun as that would be, I am doing my job._ Her foxlike ears twitched at the sound of an explosion. _Hopefully soon I can get in on some of the action!_ Rena's ears twitched again; however, this time it wasn't an explosion. It was a voice.

"It's okay, sweetie. We'll find your mother. What does she look like again?" Rena turned to see a girl in a yellow and black striped super suit attempting to comfort a crying child.

"Need some help?" Rena ran to the duo, but not before another shout reached her.

"Look out!" All three bodies were slammed into the pavement by Chat Noir. Anthropomorphic tacos lunged for where the girls had just been standing. Chat immediately leapt to his feet, breaking the taco shells with his baton. "Something's different about this akuma! These… _tacolings_ … aren't victims. They appeared _after_ the taco vendor was akumatized."

The new hero pulled a spinning top from her waist as she began fighting the taco beings to protect the child who clung desperately to her. "Then are there any direct victims of the akuma?"

"I don't know. Ladybug saw El Campesinowith some kind of rocket launcher; whatever he's hitting them with is sending them into eating frenzies." Chat whacked a tacoling that was about to chow down on Rena Rouge's leg. "We need to get back to LB and help her find this guy's akuma." He glanced at the striped girl. "We'll need all of the help we can get."

 **Once again, I am writing as I go now, so I thank you again for your patience during the creative process.**

 **STAY CREATIVE!**


	11. A Hero Is: Courage and Kindness

**Hello everyone! I'VE GOT GOOD NEWS! I've actually outlined (including this chapter,) FOUR CHAPTERS PLUS an idea of where I want the story to continue headed past those 4 chapters. PROGRESS AND DETAILS!**

 **There is actually a chapter that I am VERY excited about because timing is AWESOME and HILARIOUS. Just keep a lookout for numbers and Chapter titles.**

 **But with out further adieu...**

It took longer than usual, because of the tacolings, but the akuma was captured and purified.

"What _was_ that?" Queen Bee slumped against a wall, panting. "I've never seen you go up an akuma like that before." The other heroes were also in various positions of exhaustion.

"I don't know. The little taco things didn't come fromEl Campesino. It's… like they manifested from him, almost as if something inside him caused them." Ladybug appeared to be on the verge of collapse.

"Ladybug, we need to get you somewhere before you transform back." Chat Noir, despite his exhaustion, pulled her arm around his shoulders to support her weight. She stopped him, turning to the new hero.

"Are you the one Master Fu told us about? Is your kwami's name Pollen?"

Queen Bee attempted to hide her surprise. "I don't know about any 'master', but yeah, Pollen's my kwami." A sudden though filled her with dread. "Do- do you know who I am? Under the mask?" It was all she could do to keep from trembling. Bee did _not_ want her idol to know who she was… at least not yet. Queen Bee needed to help undo the bad image Chloe had developed with Ladybug and Chat Noir first.

Ladybug shook her head. "No, we don't. Master Fu mentioned that your kwami was training you and that you would be ready to help us in time." Smiling, the spotted heroine stuck out her hand. "If you need anything from us during your training, just let us know." Warmth and relief flooded Bee as she shook Ladybug's hand.

"What's your name, anyway?"

Tossing out her spinning top, she replied, "I'm Queen Bee." Then she was gone.

xXx

"Pollen, Buzz Off!" Gently touching down on the _Grand Paris'_ rooftop, Chloe released her transformation. Panting, she slipped off her shoes and dipped her feet into the chilled pool.

"Chloe, I am in need of food to recharge." Pollen buzzed around the girl impatiently. "I need energy after battling your first akuma with you." Chloe brushed the kwami away from her head.

"Ok you little foodie! What do you want? I can have anything brought up from the kitchen."

"I've heard of these delightful human inventions of, 'honey sticks'?" Pollen's little nubs formed air quotes around the words. "I've always needed to harvest my own, but so much honey in one tiny package? I've wanted to try them for so long!" If the kwami weren't so dignified, she might drool.

The girl scoffed. "What a cliché. A bee eating honey?" She shook her head as she lifted the in-room phone to call the kitchen. Something had changed between the two, Chloe thought. They had begun to feel comfortable enough to tease each other, almost like friends…

"You did well today, My Queen."

Chloe spun as she dropped the receiver. "What?"

"I said, you did well today. You learned the next virtue of being a hero without my having to teach it; it was buried deep down inside of you. You showed Kindness to that lost child during the battle." Pollen flew to sit on Chloe's knee. "Being kind often requires its own strength and courage. This world has become cruel." As Pollen blinked, Chloe could see in the kwami's eyes how old she truly was.

"People hate each other for no reason other than saying the wrong thing. No one is kind to each other anymore. I've seen bad ages in my time as a kwami, but this…" Chloe rubbed Pollen's head as a tear made its way down her cheek. She responded to the touch, nuzzling her new Chosen. "The phrase 'Have Courage and Be Kind' has never been more important than now. You should always be on the lookout for people for people in need of kindness- with and without the mask. Do you understand, child?"

Chloe's blonde locks bounced as she nodded. "Yes, I understand. Being kind is so new to me, but I've got some good teachers." She pulled the kwami into a quick embrace.

"Hey! Don't squish the fluff!"

"Pipe down, puff ball."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PUFF BALL?"

"Room service!" Both heads snapped to the door as the knob began to turn. Pollen ducked under a nearby pillow just as Butler Jean entered.

"I've brought Mademoiselle the honey sticks she requested along with the latest Agreste Fashion magazine. I also thought you might enjoy a few fresh blueberry scones Chief just made." Butler Jean set the tray on the lounge by the end of the bed. "Is there anything else I can get for you, Mademoiselle?"

The blonde smiled. "No thank you, Jean Baptiste. You've been very kind."

Butler Jean bowed to take his leave. Closing the door behind him, Jean let out a deep sigh and smiled. He knew something had changed in his charge recently. In Jean's opinion, it was a change for the better.

Back in the room, both Chosen and kwami were refueling with some much needed snackage.

"So, what did you think of your first akuma fight as a hero?" Pollen slurped the honey from its tiny tubing.

"Well, I'll say it's definitely different from actually _being_ the akuma or being there because you _caused_ the akuma. I had a different motivation." Chloe swallowed her bite of scone. "I wanted to save everyone versus save myself or do whatever I wanted."

Chloe suddenly found herself with a face-full of Pollen. "YES! Exactly! That is the switch we needed to flip in you!" It was humorous to see the normally dignified kwami this excited. "As heroes, we fight for the justice and goodness in the world! And…"

"Let me guess," Chloe stopped Pollen mid monologue. "THAT'S the next virtue of being a hero?"

Pollen was not as thrilled with being interrupted. "If you would let me FINISH; yes. Goodness is our next virtue. As a hero, it is your duty to fight for the good and justice in the world."

As the kwami returned to her honey straw, Chloe waited patiently for her to continue. Once it became clear the only thing Pollen was focused on was the honey, Chloe cleared her throat. "Is that it?"

"Is what it?"

"Your explanation about the hero's virtue of goodness."

"Yes. That was it."

"Why was it so short?"

Putting aside her honey stick, Pollen sighed. "Not every virtue is going to be cut and dry. Some of these are up to your discretion. YOU are the hero, child. YOU were given these powers for a reason. While they can be taken away if misused, YOU get to decide how to use them. Will you use them for some convoluted version of what society deems 'good and just', or will you use them to fight for those who do not have voices?" Flying to her pillow nest Chloe had made for her, Pollen began preening for bed. "It's getting late and you have much to think about. Good night, My Queen."

"Good night?" Chloe turned the tableside clock to face the kwami. "It's 4:30 in the afternoon!"

"Ever hear of beauty sleep? You might need an extra bit tonight."

Before Chloe could respond, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. "Oh! It's Sabrina!" Turning the phone to face away from where Pollen was resting, Chloe answered the video call. "Hi, Sabrina!"

 _"_ _Chloe! How are you! I know I talked to you a couple days ago, but it feels like forever!"_

"I'm good. Better than good, actually." Glancing over to the sleeping kwami that had changed her life, Chloe smiled. "Are you back? Your plane should have landed by now."

 _"_ _We're back. Mom's trying to decide what to do for dinner. American food is so fattening!"_

Knowing her father had a late mayoral meeting that would miss dinner, Chloe decided to show her friend a kindness. "Why don't you and your family come over for dinner? Daddy has a meeting, so I would be eating alone anyway. I want to hear about your trip!"

 _"_ _Really? I know Mom and Dad still feel a bit gross from the plane…"_

"You guys freshen up really quick and we'll have dinner up here in the penthouse, so they don't have to be seen in public." The girl grinned conspiratorially. "Maybe we can weasel your mom into letting you stay over tonight too."

 _"_ _That sounds like a great plan, Chloe! That's…"_ Sabrina blinked. _"…really nice of you."_

"What can I say? It's part of the new me. I'll tell you more about it tonight."

 _"_ _Okay! See you in, an hour and a half?"_

"Sounds good. We'll have it ready when you get here."

As the girls said good bye, Chloe could feel the stink eye from her kwami across the room. "Come ON, Pollen. I'm not going to tell her _everything_ that's happened."

"Well pardon me. Who knows what might slip out of that big mouth of yours?"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING BIG MOUTHED, SHORT-STUFF? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO KINDNESS?"

 **Until next time, STAY CREATIVE!**


	12. A Hero Is: Twilight

**Wow. Just... Wow.**

 **This is the single longest chapter I have EVER written! I REALLY wanted the next chapter to be the 13th chapter (you'll see when I post it next.)**

 **This chapter completes the "A Hero Is..." story arc. Within each chapter are 9 "elements of a hero". The first person to comment where the inspiration came from will get a shout out in the next chapter opening! (I like to make you guys think and do research ;p) Hint: They're pretty common place and even have a song based on them.**

 **Now onto the feature presentation! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

 _"Would you like to dance?"_

 _Chloe turned slowly, the sensation of crinoline and tulle at her fingertips. Looking down, she saw that she was wearing a long yellow ball gown; it looked like something a queen would wear. Returning her gaze to the voice, a young gentleman extended his hand._

 _"_ _You haven't answered my question, My Queen. Would you like to dance?" Without asking, the gentleman lifted Chloe's hand from her side, his other hand resting carefully on her waist. A spotlight landed on the duo as a slow, mournful tune began to play. "My, my. You are certainly exceptional now, aren't you?" A smile spread across his face._

 _"_ _Who are you?" Chloe didn't want to pull away, but she didn't exactly feel safe. The gentleman's face was blurry, but his hair was a shocking shade of red. "Where are we?"_

 _"_ _Don't you know?" He spun her, showing off the empty space. One by one, more people appeared; a new face with each turn. Chloe was beginning to feel sick. Some faces she recognized, others she didn't._

 _A girl in a red suit. A boy in a black suit_

 _A girl in an orange suit. A boy in a green suit_

 _A tall man in purple suit. A woman in a feathered blue dress._

 _"_ _Stop spinning me! What's going on?" A knot developed in Chloe's gut._

 _"_ _You can never change, Chloe!" The gentleman ceased his spinning, holding the girl in the golden dress in front of the girl in the red suit. "A bee can't change its stripes."_

 _"_ _You've been such a help to me." The gentleman turned Chloe to face the tall man in the purple suit. Chloe could now see that he was holding a cane. "You have caused so many wonderful akumas and kept me in business. Why not join me, Queen Wasp?" The tall man extended his gloved hand._

 _"_ _No!" Chloe realized that this was Hawkmoth! She had to make Ladybug see that the villain was here. They could stop him once and for all! "Ladybug!" Wrenching out of the gentleman's grasp, Chloe tried to get back to Ladybug._

 _A mirror blocked her path. Chloe gasped. She now wore a grotesque version of her Queen Bee costume. Her once blue eyes now shone a hateful magenta. "Ladybug, help me!" Hawkmoth must have done something to her costume. Hearing footsteps behind her, Chloe turned. Her heart dropped._

 _Ladybug, Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, and the green hero all had their weapons pointed at her._

 _"_ _No, guys! Hawkmoth is over there!" As she pointed, Chloe felt a weight on her shoulder. Shaking, she looked behind her. Hawkmoth with his hand on her shoulder, the blue mystery woman by his side._

 _"_ _Why make the hard change of being nice when you can do what comes naturally, Ms. Bourgeois?"_

 _"_ _POLLEN! HELP ME!" Chloe begged, tears streaming down her face._

 _A light appeared amidst the crowd of people. "Wake up, My Queen!"_

 _"_ _Pollen?" Chloe whimpered._

 _Then everything went black._

xXx

"Wake up, My Queen!"

Chloe brushed the fuzzy feeling away from her face, her fingers connecting with fresh tears. A nudge from Pollen caused the girl to bolt upright in bed. Chloe felt her silk pajamas soaked through with sweat.

"Pollen?" A sense of relief washed over Chloe. She was awake. It was all a dream. A bad dream, but a dream nonetheless.

"I'm here, child. You're not alone." Pollen nuzzled herself under Chloe's chin, trying to comfort her Chosen.

"I haven't had a dream like that… in a long time." A shaky breath escaped from the normally confident girl. The fuzzy bee flew to the water cup next to the bed, indicating that Chloe should drink something.

"It is not unheard of for new Miraculous holders to have nightmares at the beginning. Do not dwell on these negative thoughts, My Queen. They will pass." Chloe nodded as she sipped her drink. "What if we get you some breakfast and do some hero training?"

Chloe swung herself out of bed, looking at the clock. Groaning, she flung herself backwards. "Pollen, it's 7am on a SATURDAY. Do heroes do stuff this early?" Her answer was a poke at her waist until she sat back up. "Fine. Let me find a decent yoga outfit. No way I'm getting my good clothes all sweaty for training."

Pollen flew backwards, her nubs crossed as Chloe shuffled to her wardrobe. "Honey, just shut up and get dressed already. In case you don't know, villains won't wait for you to change into a decent outfit when they're tearing up Paris."

xXx

For this exercise, Pollen elected for Chloe to be dressed as herself. This was something more important for the girl to learn outside of the mask. Yawning, Chloe stretched her arms. Instead of the yoga outfit, she had chosen something a little more versatile to whatever sadistic measures the kwami would throw at her. Over her loose workout tank top, Chloe had thrown on her comfy yellow sweatshirt with the double black stripe due to the morning chill that still hung in the air. A pair of black jogging pants and designer cross trainers completed her effortless workout aesthetic.

"Today's lesson will focus on faithfulness." Pollen was concealing herself in the small white crossbody Chloe now wore. "Sometimes, you may be fighting alone, other times, you'll be part of a team. Regardless, the faithfulness and loyalty you show the people of Paris and your team will give them a sense of security that someone else is looking out for them. This will help deepen their trust in you."

"That's great and all, Pollen, but I can get breakfast first? I'm starving!" Chloe complained. The kitchen staff were barely in for the day when Chloe was walking out of the door. Instead of making them rush to make her something, she decided that a walk to the Dupain-Cheng bakery for a croissant would do her some good. "I hear they have delicious little _nonnettes_ they make with local honey…" Chloe could hear the kwami's stomach rumble.

"Very well. It would be a disservice to Paris to serve them on an empty stomach." Chloe giggled as she pushed open the door to the busy _patisserie_ , the bell tinkling above.

"Welcome! Take a number, we'll be right with you!" Chloe turned to see Marinette's dad rolling out a fresh batch of bread while her mom served customers at the register. "Marinette? Can you come help, sweetie?"

"Yeah, Papa! The next batch of macarons will be ready in about ten minutes." Marinette emerged from the back, wiping her hands on the apron around her waist. Looking up, she spotted Chloe. "Oh. Chloe! Hey. What are you doing here so early?" The bluenette navigated the small crowd to get to her friend.

Chloe panicked. No one who knew her would believe _any_ reason she could provide as to why she was up and out before noon on a Saturday. "Oh… You know… Checking out the… markets? Yeah! The markets!" She was nodding vigorously now. "I'm picking up some ingredients for something special Chef Césaire is teaching me to make."

"Wow! That's great, Chloe. If you make enough, I would love to try some." The baker's daughter smiled. The mayor's daughter grimaced.

 _Great_. Now she would have to actually learn to make something to show off. "Yeah… sure… Well, I was hoping to get some breakfast and a coffee before heading over. I'll just wait for my number to be called," Glancing down, Chloe saw that she was number 32. They were now serving number 17. Stifling a groan, the girl offered her friend a small smile. "It shouldn't be long." Marinette waved her off.

"No way! What's the point of knowing someone on the inside if they can't help you out?" Marinette gave her a slight hip bump, causing both girls to chuckle. "We've put in a self-serve coffee bar near the door with plenty of fixings you can put together while I get your order together. What can I get you?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Chloe confessed, "I've heard great things about the croissants and _nonnettes,_ the ones you make with the honey? Could I get 2 or 3 of each to go?"

"Absolutely! Go fix your coffee and I'll ring you up."

Within five minutes, Chloe was waving goodbye to Marinette, walking out with a bag full of goodies and a cup full of coffee. Since the park was just across the way, Chloe thought that would be a good place to sit for a moment for her and Pollen to enjoy their breakfast.

"Okay. So how are you going to teach me faithfulness, O Great Kwami?" Chloe made a pleasant noise as she bit into her croissant. It was flaky, and the coffee wasn't half-bad either.

Pollen made a similar noise as she devoured her _nonnette_. "Good old community service." Despite the warmth from the coffee, Chloe felt her blood run cold.

"I beg your pardon?"

"This is why we're doing this as _you_ instead of Queen Bee. Queen Bee is still new; she has time to gain the public's trust. It's _Chloe's_ image that Paris needs to put more trust in. You will be helping out wherever you can today," Pollen held up a nub as she heard Chloe begin to sputter. " _Without_ complaining. If anyone asks, just say that 'life coach' line you told your friends." Swallowing the last of her treat, the kwami risked a quick buzz around Chloe's head. "Alright. Finish up and let's get going!"

Chloe groaned as she downed the rest of the caffeine she knew she was going to need. "Let's get this over with."

[Cue montage of Chloe helping elderly ladies cross the street; carrying groceries for a young mother with too many children; handing out food at the local soup kitchen; helping gardeners in the local town vegetable garden]

xXx

"I don't think I've seen that much dirt in my entire life." Chloe dragged herself down the street, covered head to toe with dirt.

"I know! And I certainly did not expect that dog to chase you into that hole and proceed to bury you alive."

"YES, thank you, Pollen. I was there. I don't need a play by play." Lifting the sleeve of her sweatshirt up to her nose, Chloe took a sniff. Immediately, she recoiled. "Aw man! I hope this thing's not ruined. I hope no one sees me looking like this…"

No sooner than the words were spoken, Chloe collided head on with the person who rounded the corner of a nearby building. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" As the girl rubbed her aching head, she noticed the various papers caught on the wind. Sighing, she started picking them up.

"Oh! Don't look at those…" Too late.

"Is this Queen Bee?" Chloe stared into the eyes of an extremely well-done sketch of her alter ego. Looking up for the first time, Chloe saw that she had run into her classmate, Nathaniel Kurtzberg. The blush already on his face deepened.

"Uh… yeah… I sketch all of the heroes, but since she hasn't been around as long, it's harder to find source material." He took the pages, sticking them haphazardly back into his sketchbook. "That one I did from the photo the news took during the akuma attack."

Both teens stood. Chloe crossed her arms with a smirk. "Kurtsberg, there is _no way_ you did a sketch that detailed from a grainy _news photo_. You've got talent." If it were possible, the blush on Nathaniel's face became even redder. Chloe's face quickly matched Nathaniel's as his eyes roamed up and down her body, taking in the dirt.

Now it was his turn to smirk. "Do some gardening today?'

Scoffing, Chloe flipped her limp pony tail. "For your information, I was doing some community service today. It was my life coach's idea." The girl sobered as she crossed her arms. She couldn't look at the boy. "Nathaniel, I've never apologized for making fun of your sketches and crush on Marinette. I'm sorry for how I've treated you. Could you possibly forgive me?"

Nathaniel ducked his head, scratching the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah. I'm glad you've finally apologized for that. But yes Chloe. I forgive you. I'll see you in class on Monday?"

Smiling, the dirty blonde nodded. "I'll see you then."

As the two parted, Chloe had one last jarring thought. _That hair is a shocking shade of red…_

xXx

"It's ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! I've showered _twice_ and I _still_ smell like dirt!" Chloe attempted to pull her still damp hair into a semblance of a pony tail. Garbed in her favorite robe, she was surprised to see Pollen filing her nubs with Chloe's nail filer.

"You know, you don't need to worry about your hair so much. It's always going to look tacky." The kwami suppressed a grin at Chloe's flabbergasted state. This was another method of her hero training; push the right buttons and boundaries will be broadened.

"Yeah, right." The girl sneered. "You're just jealous because you don't have any." She returned her attention to the mirror. Pollen joined her, admiring the collar of fluff around her neck.

"Please, child. I've been beautiful longer than what you've learned about in history class." Her beady blue orbs glanced to the side. "And I don't need that mop on your head to help me."

Chloe let her hair fall in exasperation. How on earth did she get stuck with the Kwami of Eternal Heckling? Snatching the nail file from Pollen, she began gesturing wildly with it. "What are you even filing on those little nubs of yours? What need do you have of my best nail file?" Sighing, she placed the file back on the counter. "Besides, I don't want to get caught looking like something the cat dragged in again. That was _embarrassing_!"

"You mean it was embarrassing because the tomato boy was the one that saw you like that."

Chloe's face became as red as the afore-mentioned tomato. "NO IT ISN'T! What are you talking about, Puff Ball! Shut up!"

Pollen drifted lazily away. "I believe the lady doth protest to much." It was easy for the kwami to dodge the pillows thrown at her. "Well, child. It's only one in the afternoon. Do you have any other plans for today?"

The teen threw herself on the bed, weary from the hard work she had accomplished. "Not really. I really just want to chill tonight. Oh, Sabrina wasn't able to spend the night last night. Maybe her parents will let her tonight!" As Chloe reached for the phone, Pollen landed gently on her hand.

"My Queen, may I make a suggestion?" Confused, Chloe nodded. "I know it is short notice, but why not see if any of the other girls are available for a slumber party?"

"Why? I'm still not on good terms with everyone. They won't want to come…" Chloe deflated at the very thought of being turned down.

Pollen glided to push a stray hair behind the girl's ear. "Another virtue of being a hero is gentleness. As a hero, it's important to have a gentle spirit. Gentleness allows people to interact in ways that are less harsh, more caring, considerate, and tender in their movements, actions, and how they speak." Floating to the phone, the kwami gave it a nudge. "In other words, providing a safe and calm environment for these girls to interact with you will be a crucial first step to rebuilding bridges with many of them."

Warming to the idea, Chloe grabbed the cell. "That sounds like a great idea, Pollen! I'll send out an invite and see who can come. This will be the best slumber party ever!"

xXx

"This is the best slumber party _ever!_ " Rose threw her squishy unicorn pillow into the air, giving it a well-deserved snuggle when it returned to her arms. Chloe chuckled at the girl's antics, helping everyone get settled.

Even though it was short notice, all of the girls in the class were able to come. Juleka and Rose were the last ones to arrive due to Kitty Section's band practice going long. Alix was currently lounging on a section of the long pink couch, browsing the web on her phone. Mylene allowed Alix's feet to splay across her lap. Alya and Marinette were flipping through Chloe's extensive movie collection, trying to find something that everyone would enjoy. Sabrina was helping Chloe move the furniture into the best configuration to build a blanket fort the girls would watch the movie and sleep in that night. The latest Jagged Stone album blared on the surround sound speakers.

As Chloe looked around the room at the vibrant group of girls, she smiled. She could get used to this. "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute, Chloe?" Sabrina gestured to the section of the penthouse that lead to Chloe's bedroom. The blonde dropped the pile of blankets in her arms, following her friend. Sabrina grabbed Chloe's hands. "Are you dying?"

Chloe dropped her hands in surprise. "What? No! Where would you get a ridiculous idea like that?"

"Well, in the few days since our talk where you, well…" Sabrina gnawed the inside of her cheek. "Let's be honest: you had a break down." It was now Chloe's turn to gnaw. "Sometimes, a health thing, or... depression... can bring on serious life style changes in an attempt to leave behind no regrets." The blonde could see how genuinely worried her friend was for her.

Pulling her into a deep hug, Chloe reassured the girl. "No, Sabrina. I'm not planning on dying any time soon." Releasing herself from the hug, Chloe swiped at a tear that had begun to form. "I've just honestly wanted to make some changes in my life. You and Adrien helped me see that. It's all thanks to you two."

Sabrina wiped away tears that crept their way down her cheek. "I've got to say, that just seeing you these past couple days, I'm proud of how you've managed your self control." Chloe cocked her head curiously. "Well, I mean, if anything- and I mean ANYTHING- didn't go _exactly_ according to your plans, you wigged out! You've learned to keep your emotions under control. I think I've heard Madame Bustier say that it's an important leadership skill."

"Huh." Chloe rubbed the back of her neck. "I have a feeling my life coach would have told me something similar before too long. You just beat her to it." Sabrina looped her arm around Chloe's, escorting the two of them to the blanket fort construction zone.

"I'll have to meet your life coach one of these days and thank her!"

Chloe ducked her head. "Uh, yeah. Maybe…"

"Come on, Alya!"

"No, Marinette! We are not watching _Phantom of the Opera_!"

 **I am SO pumped to write the next chapter! (At the time of this being published, Chapter 13 has not been written, but it has been outlined) Hopefully I'll have it cranked out before too long, but quality should never be rushed. Don't forget your "homework"!**

 **Until then, STAY CREATIVE!**


	13. Midnight: An Unlucky Slumber

**Hello everyone! Here is my FAVORITE chapter I have written so far! I hope you enjoy it! (Quick welcome to any new readers. Thanks for the views! ;) )**

Chapter 13: An Unlucky Slumber

Paris entered into an unexpected period of peace. Goodwill and positivity were at an all-time high. Hawkmoth rarely had anyone to akumatize anymore. Instead of repairing damage done to the city, Ladybug and her allies saved the day in other ways. The entire team aided fire fighters in putting out the flames that ravaged Notre Dame; Rena Rouge thwarted a mugging her first night on patrol; Queen Bee handed out breakfast at her local soup kitchen every Saturday; Chat Noir starred in an ad for the local animal shelter trying to adopt all of their cats.

Before too long, Queen Bee joined the team's nightly patrols. Splitting the four individuals into teams allowed them to have more eyes surveying the city. Ladybug partnered with Queen Bee to show her the ropes while Chat Noir did the same with Rena Rouge. Once they could handle situations on their own, the rookie heroes would be able to patrol Paris solo. Even though the Paris skyline was missing part of itself, a sense of calm cloaked the city. With her idol by her side enjoying the quiet evening, Chloe Bourgeois herself felt at peace.

xXx

"We have a problem, Noroo." Gabriel Agreste poured over various news reports from the past several weeks.

AKUMAS GO DOWN, STOCK PRICES RISE!

WORKPLACE STRESS AT ALL TIME LOW!

HEROES AND STUDENTS RAISE MONEY TO HELP REBUILD NOTRE DAME!

"You would think that one of the most historic buildings in the city burning down would bring a new harvest of victims. This just seems to unite the city further!" Gabriel angrily closed the browser window on his desktop. Turning to the painting of his wife, the designer pressed the buttons within the painting to unlock the hidden entrance to his lair. Once in front of the massive stain-glass window, Gabriel began to pace.

"Master, couldn't this be a sign to cease our efforts?" Noroo questioned hopefully. Immediately, the kwami felt his skin crawl. Touching his face, Noroo could no longer feel his mouth. A sinister snarl covered the face of the older man.

"If I want to hear your opinion, Noroo, I WILL ASK FOR IT!" he practically screamed. Snapping his fingers, Noroo's mouth returned. Gasping for breath, the kwami bowed his head.

"Th-thank you, Master."

Turning his back on the creature, Gabriel mused over his current situation. "There have been less and less negative emotions going on several months now. Not even the slightest case of teenage angst. What could be causing this?" A pregnant pause filled the space. Gabriel barely turned his head. "That was me asking for your opinion, Noroo."

"Oh! I'm sorry." Noroo flew to his master's side, joining him in looking out the window. "This may not mean anything, but didn't your son mention how nice the Bourgeois girl has become? She has been a driving force in creating many of your victims…" Gabriel stroked his chin in thought.

"Hmm… You have a point, Noroo." Removing his phone from his jacket pocket, Gabriel opened the LadyBlog app. Scrolling back, he noticed the time stamps recording the first reports of the latest two superheroes. "It was when these two joined the fray that akumatizations dropped. Could Ms. Bourgeois be one of these new heroes?"

Noroo floated himself in between Gabriel and the screen. "But Master, that was just a passing thought! Remember the last time you thought you knew the identity of one of the heroes? Adrien almost died!" He instantly recoiled from Gabriel's glare.

"I remember what happened, Noroo." Gabriel growled through his teeth. "That was a hunch based on a coincidence. I will not make the same mistake twice." Suddenly, his Miraculous began to glow. "Oh! I feel an emotion of great intensity. So pure… Noroo, DARK WINGS, RISE!"

Once Hawkmoth completed his transformation, he summoned a butterfly. After filling it with hate and power, he released it. "Fly away my little akuma, and evilize him!" Slamming the cane with a satisfying clang, the villain smiled. "Time to test my theory…"

xXx

"Never!" Chloe shot out of bed. Panting, she checked the clock. _2am_. Sighing, Chloe swung her legs over the side of the bed. She ran a shaking hand through her damp hair. She'd had the dream again, where all of her hard work as Queen Bee was undone by people's hatred of Chloe's past. Squinting through the low light of her room, Chloe saw that Pollen was still sleeping. _I need something to eat_. Instead of traipsing down to the main kitchen, Chloe dragged herself to the small kitchenette within her family's penthouse.

The girl perused the contents of the fridge, finally grabbing a gallon of milk. J _ean-Louis used to make me a glass of warm milk when I was younger when I had trouble sleeping._ Placing the gallon on the kitchenette's island, Chloe stumbled back.

A lone figure stood in the doorway, cloaked in darkness.

"DADDY! WHAT are you doing, standing there in the dark! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" With her hand on her rapidly beating heart, Chloe slowly realized, this person was too short to be her father. Her battle instincts began to kick in. "You're not Daddy. Who are you?" The figure moved into the light cast by the still open refrigerator.

"Nathaniel? How did you get in my house?" She cried out when Nathaniel was engulfed in a dark aura. In Nathaniel's place stood Evillustrator.

"You can't be a hero, Chloe. You might as well be Hawkmoth's sidekick for all of the damage you've caused." Every word dripped with hatred and venom. Every word pierced Chloe's heart like a thousand daggers.

"Kurtsberg! I thought we already did this! Y-you said you'd forgive me…" Tears began to pool as Chloe looked around the kitchen for something to defend herself with. She whipped her head back towards the boy as he laughed.

"Forgive you? NONE of us forgive you, Your Highness." One by one, more people began to appear in their akumatized forms until it felt like the room couldn't hold anymore; several faces stood out in the crowd.

Lady WIFI.

Princess Fragrance.

Reflecta.

Timebreaker.

Horrificator.

All of her new friends glowered at the now shaking blonde. "Do you really think one lousy sleepover would undo all of the horrible things you've done to us?" Lady WIFI lifted her phone, rapidly drawing her fingers across it. Chloe suddenly felt herself plastered against the wall next to the refrigerator.

Chloe's hair cascaded down the sides of her face, getting stuck on the tears that now flowed freely. In that moment, Chloe regretted sleeping in only a cotton tank top and boxer sleeper shorts. She had never felt as vulnerable as she did now, in her most basic and pathetic state in front of every mask she regretted having a hand in creating. "Why are you doing this?"

Reflecta grabbed Chloe's chin, jerking it up to meet her eyes. "We're doing this because you deserve it. They were wrong to try and make you one of them." She didn't need to elaborate. These were secret fears Chloe harbored ever since she had received her Miraculous. Dread and hopelessness enveloped her in their dark arms. Before she was aware of what was happening, she felt a familiar presence that made her blood run cold.

 _"Ah. Ms. Bourgeois. It's good to see you again."_

"Hawkmoth!" Chloe gasped out. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of his voice.

 _"So, you remember me? I'm touched. I have been trying to find you Ms. Bourgeois to confirm a suspicion of mine."_ Chloe could feel his pleasure at her capture. _"I know you are one of the new heroes that have popped up. And you're going to become my inside woman."_

"NO!" She pulled harder at her restraints. "I won't betray my friends!"

 _"Good. You don't deny that you are a hero. The question now is, would you be a better Rena Rage or Queen Wasp?"_ Chloe's jerking stopped at his mention of Queen Wasp.

 _That's the name from my dream._

 _"You seem to like that last one. Does this mean that you are the hero Queen Bee? How delightful…"_

"Stop it!" Chloe screamed. "I. AM. A. HERO. I will NEVER join you! I was given my Miraculous for a reason! You didn't earn yours!" Her resolve strengthened. "We will save your kwami from you one day."

 _"But who will save you now?"_

"My Queen?" All eyes turned to the doorway. Pollen rubbed her eyes, radiating a soft glow.

 _"Nightmares, capture that kwami! Mayura, now is the time to use your powers on her Miraculous."_

 _Mayura?_ Chloe struggled all the harder. _Is this the partner the others told me about?_

 _"I don't care if she's not wearing it right now! It is somewhere near her person. If we combine our powers, we can break her spirit. Her will is stronger than it was the last time…"_

Pollen dodged the blasts and outstretched arms that attempted to capture her. "Chloe! Now would be a good time to transform!" The girl shook her head.

"I can't Pollen! The comb is back in my room. But what if they're right? I've done such horrible things in my past. I don't deserve forgiveness!" Chloe was startled when she felt a pain in her cheek. "OW! Did you sting me or something?"

"Pull yourself together, child! Remember our talk about unconditional love? I know what you've done in your past, as does Master Fu. Despite that, we both trust you with my miraculous. Use that beautiful brain of yours to get yourself out of here!"

Realizing the truth in what Pollen was saying, Chloe's fear melted away. "Your right! Quick Pollen! The comb is on my bedside table. We can do this together!" Turning her attention back to Hawkmoth, she could feel his frustration mounting. "Sorry Hawky. I'm going to have to cut this short. Don't worry. We'll be seeing you soon to collect your Miraculous."

xXx

With a growl, Hawkmoth severed the connection. "Why did you question my orders, Mayura?" Turning, he stared down the woman standing just behind him. "We just lost a valuable asset because of you!" Hawkmoth made to strike her, but she caught his hand in her own. Her gaze was steel.

"I understand your anger sir, but if you intend to ever strike me again, I will be leaving. Not only as your partner, but also as your employee. Am I clear?"

Composing himself, Hawkmoth reluctantly bowed his head. His pride just took a massive hit, but he could ill afford to isolate another ally. "Yes, my dear. I apologize for allowing my emotions to get the better of me. Let us see if we can still rectify the situation." Turning back to the window, Hawkmoth connected with his current victim.

"Sandboy, the first part of your mission has been successful; I have the information I sought. Now, get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous'. And," An evil grin consumed his features. "Be sure to collect the new heroes' Miraculous as well."


	14. Midnight: Now Nightmares Can Begin

"Rena Rouge! Chat Noir!" Ladybug dashed across the rooftops to reach her team members. Her already rapidly beating heart swelled at the sight of her friends. From the looks on their faces, they were glad to see her too.

The black clad cat rushed to meet her halfway, fiercely embracing her. "I am so glad you're alright, My Lady." Pulling apart slightly, he cupped her cheek with his gloved hand. "Were you caught up in the weird dream sand too?"

Ladybug leaned into his touch. "Yeah. I'll have to tell you about it later." She peered around her boyfriend, reminding him they had company. "Rena? What about you?" Her friend shook her head.

"No. It didn't make it over to my part of town before I heard the news reports and transformed." Rena Rouge searched through the darkness of the night to try and locate her home. "I just hope my family's okay."

Rejoining her, Chat squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

"The Sandboy just checked in. Now nightmares can begin!"

The group ducked behind a nearby chimney just in time. Ladybug peered around the corner to study Hawkmoth's new victim. He appeared to be levitating a pillow, sprinkling dust that revealed your worst nightmare. Turning back, Ladybug began laying out their plan.

"Right now, we have the element of surprise. Chat," She pointed to the east. "You'll approach him from the right. Rena," Ladybug pointed to the west. "You'll take him from the left. I'll keep the rear to cut him off if he try's to backtrack. Hopefully we can end this quickly and get some sleep. Stay safe, team!"

On Ladybug's mark, the teens spilt up. When Sandboy wasn't looking, Chat launched himself from his position, baton ready to smack the villain like a piñata. Sandboy barely dodged the attack, spinning around to face Rena Rouge. .

"I was told to take the ring and the earrings, but it seems Hawkmoth is in the market for a pretty necklace too." He sped towards the vixen, almost too fast for the human eye to see. The magic pillow gave a poof, enveloping her in a colorful cloud. Rena gagged, exposing herself to an attack. Just as he was about to snatch Rena's Miraculous, Sandboy found his arm wrapped up by Ladybug's yoyo. "You think you're so brave standing up to me? You won't be able to fight your nightmares for long!" Yanking his arm, Ladybug was drawn closer to him. She withdrew her weapon, falling to the street below. Running up a nearby building, she rejoined Chat Noir at the high ground.

She had barely made it onto the roof when Ladybug and Chat were forced apart again by Sandboy's nightmare sand. At that moment, the girl was grateful for the yoga classes she had taken. If she weren't so flexible, the rapid succession of backflips over the rooftops would have been tricky. At last, she took refuge behind a smokestack.

"He's moving around too much!"

"And his evil sand is blowing everywhere!" Sandboy continued his attack, following Chat Noir's voice. "Try Lucky Charm! Maybe it can help!"

Nodding, Ladybug stood to invoke her special power. Just as she launched the yo-yo into the air, the wind was knocked from her. Gasping for breath, she breathed in something sickly sweet. "Oh no!" Was she hit with the nightmare sand? Ladybug tried flinging her yo-yo to no avail. It was a regular toy now. _My powers! They're gone!_ _This is my_ other _worst nightmare!_

"Ladybug!" Chat yowled.

"Who's about to get a pretty magic jewel!" Sandboy floated closer, wiggling his fingers in anticipation. Whimpering, Ladybug backed herself against the smokestack. Sandboy lunged for his prize. Purely on instinct, Ladybug threw herself to the side; however she misjudged the distance. Now she was hanging on to the edge of the roof by her finger nails. Sandboy leaned as far as his little arms would allow, attempting to grab the earrings.

Ladybug could feel herself slipping, but there was nothing she could do. As she fell towards the cobblestone streets below, her only regret was that she failed her team, her partner… Her partner! The girl was no longer free falling, but being catapulted through the air in the arms of a certain blond boy. "That was almost un-fur-tunate, Mi'Lady." His tone was light, but Ladybug could see through it. A scowl briefly crossed Chat's normally smiling face. As they landed safely in the nearby plaza, the tickling sensation around them suggested that they had been doused with nightmare sand again.

"The Sandboy just checked in! Now nightmares can begin!" Sandboy cackled. Chat Noir spun his baton, preparing for battle. His protective stance daring anyone to attack.

"Stay behind me, Bugaboo!"

"But, you still have your powers!" Ladybug glanced around the plaza. They hadn't seen Rena Rouge since she had been hit by the nightmare sand.

"Losing mine is not what I'm afraid of." Chat regarded her with eyes full of love.

"Then, what are you afraid of?"

"C-Chat?" A gurgled sound returned their attention to the ground in front of them. The very sight of it brought Chat Noir to his knees screaming.

A broken and bloodied Marinette struggled to crawl towards them, blood tricking from her mouth. "Why didn't you save me?"

Sobs racked the boy's body as he rocked back and forth. "I-I'm so sorry! Please! I don't want to see this! I can't loose you!" Ladybug sat in front of him, blocking his view.

"Adrien, I'm right here." She whispered. "That's just a nightmare; one that will never come to pass. Remember what I said before? You don't have to be strong all the time. You'll protect me and I'll protect you. Do you believe me?" Knowing they had little time to spend talking, Ladybug needed her partner to get his head straight. "I'm fine, but we need to go find Rena. She's battling her own nightmare. We need to go help her. Can you stand?."

Sniffing, the blond head bounced. Wiping his eyes, Chat glowered at the abomination before him. "Let's go find our friend."

"Don't worry, you two. I already found her." Queen Bee appeared from around the corner, a semi conscious Rena Rouge draped across her shoulder. "I can't leave you for ten minutes without everything going to-"

"Bee! Am I glad to see you!" Relief filled the young heroine. They stood a better chance now with more people on their side. "Have you seen what we're up against?"

"First hand. Remind me that I have valuable intel on our good friend Hawkmoth to debrief you on later." Rena coughed, coming to.

"Yeah. Definitely having that conversation later." The orange clad hero tossed something to Ladybug. "This came from the sword of a Lucky Charm an evil version of you conjured up." She raised her hand to stop the questions Chat and Ladybug began to pepper her with. "We'll have a group debrief when we're done. Queen Bee picked that up. She noticed that the pillow thing Sandboy is riding looks extremely flimsy. A good stab of that should take care of it."

Ladybug looked at the sword tip in her hand. The spotted "Ladybug Vision" showed her that she would also need Chat Noir, his baton, and the tall ledge of the building behind them. "All right, Chat. Let's do this!"


	15. Midnight: Hey Babe

"Wow. That was more difficult than it should have been." Queen Bee panted. Since no one had used their special power, no one was under the time constraint of detransforming. They decided to walk the scared young boy back to his home. His parents were grateful to have him returned safely, smothering him with kisses. The building had a rooftop garden- the perfect place for one to catch their breath after battling their worst nightmares.

"He had a unique power. It crippled each of us in just the right way." Chat rubbed his thumb in circles over Ladybug's gloved hand. "I'm just glad it's over."

"Bee, didn't you say you had information about Hawkmoth?" Rena absentmindedly played with her pony tail. Queen Bee sat at attention.

"Yeah! I do." Biting her lip, she considered something. "This might actually be something that Master Fu guy needs to hear too. And… there is some sensitive information… I would rather not divulge it out in the open like this."

Sighing, Ladybug released her boyfriend's hand, cracking her back as she stood. "It's really late, but we should probably check on him too. Who knows what nightmares he experienced."

Nodding, the team trudged along the city skyline. They quickly reached Master Fu's Chinese Medicine practice. The group entered through the building's sky light as they were still in costume. Reaching the door to the room with the Miracle Box, Ladybug knocked.

"Master Fu? Are you awake?" She cautiously edged the door open.

"Yes, Ladybug. I have been expecting you. And I see that you've brought company." The old man sat cross legged on a pillow in the middle of the floor mat. Five more pillows surrounded him, each with a cup of steaming hot tea at each place.

"Master, there are only four of us. Who is the extra seat for?" Chat Noir all but sank into the comfy cushion.

"It is always wise to have space for an unexpected guest." He glanced pointedly at Rena Rouge. After glancing around the room, Rena was certain that Master Fu was looking at her. It wasn't out of character for the Guardian of the Miraculous to be cryptic. Now facing the newest member of the team, Fu smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Queen Bee. I trust that Pollen has trained you well?"

Despite her slight discomfort, the girl returned the smile. "Yes. She's helped me change my life for the better. We've also become quite close." Bee took a sip of her tea to calm her nerves. "Master, I had an encounter with Hawkmoth tonight."

Not a sound could be heard in the room.

"What do you mean 'you had an encounter with Hawkmoth'?" Chat growled. "Are you sure it wasn't just part of your nightmare?"

She shook her head. "No. My nightmare filled me with such hopelessness and despair that he was able to contact me… like he has before." Queen Bee whispered the last line, almost hoping that no one heard it. They heard it.

Rena slowly backed away. "He's contacted you before? Like, you've been akumatized?"

With tears in her eyes, Bee looked to Master Fu for guidance. He said nothing. This was her choice to make. She needed to do something before she lost their trust completely. Grimacing, Queen Bee stood.

"Fine. Pollen, buzz off." A bright light enveloped the room. Blinking, Chat Noir was the first to respond.

"Chloe?"

xXx

"Hey guys." Chloe stood before them, vulnerable. She took in the others' expressions. Only Rena looked perturbed. After a moment of silence, Chloe almost tipped over backwards due to the force of the hug she was currently receiving.

"This explains so much! I am so proud of you, Chlo! I knew you had it in you, but _this_ …" Her eyes widened. Only one person called her by that particular nickname… She pushed Chat Noir away incredulously.

"No way…"

Grinning, Chat let the glow envelop him as well. "Yep. It's me. We've made a pretty good team these past few months." Adrien couldn't wipe the smile off of his face. He turned to Ladybug, hope in his eyes. Chloe followed his gaze.

"Does this mean…" Chloe flushed red at her realization. "Marinette?"

Ladybug sighed. "Guess the cat's out of the bag." She grinned ruefully at her boyfriend who was miming a _what did I do_ gesture. "Spots off, Tikki." Tikki joined Pollen, Wayz, and Plagg, who sat on the phonograph. Everyone now looked expectantly to Rena Rouge. She violently shook her head.

"Uh uh. No way. Just because she guessed who y'all were doesn't mean I have to reveal my identity. There's no way she can guess,"

"It's you, Alya." Chloe deadpanned. "If these two are superheroes, there's no way you're not one." Once more, a bright light filled the room. Alya sat there with her arms crossed, grumbling to herself. Trixx pauses to pat her cheek reassuringly before joining the other kwamis.

"So why was this 'group Reveal' so important to your story, Chloe?" Alya was still not entirely pleased with the circumstances.

Chloe drank more of her tea before answering. "I think Hawkmoth knows who I am."

"Yeah. He's not the only one."

The new voice raised the hairs on everyone's necks, sending them into defensive positions. Only Master Fu continued to drink his tea. "It appears our last guest has arrived."

Alya smiled sheepishly and timidly waved. "Hey babe…"

 **8/1/19 UPDATE: Hey everybody! I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN YOU! I want to get the remainder of the chapters written before I post anything else so updating won't be so jagged as we come to the climax of our story. I've got a rough outline that will finish this Tale in about 13 more chapters, putting the chapter total at 28 (I might try and make it an even 30, just because). Keep rereading, leaving reviews, and subscribing to my author feed; I have several new one-shot ideas along with a possible continuation of this story... (hint hint wink wink)**

 **Have a good night and USA MIRACULARS: ENJOY THE FIRST HALF OF SEASON 3 ON NETFLIX!**


	16. Midnight: Protect Your Squad

**Hello everyone! I am still alive and writing! Things have been progressing in my personal life which means writing for fun sometimes takes a back burner. Also, the inspiration bug has not been biting as much.**

 **In case you didn't see the update I posted on Chapter 15, I have roughly fleshed out the remaining chapters of Miraculous: Tales! I know where we are going and I know what our destination holds. Please be sure to subscribe to the story because you do NOT want to miss what we have coming up next!**

 **Finally without further adieu, Chapter 16: Protect Your Squad, or, "What Nino Saw"**

"Nino! What are you doing here?" Adrien shifted his stance in front of Master Fu. "Did you follow us?"

"Do not be rude, Adrien." The old man moved from behind the groups of teens. He gestured to the extra pillow on the ground. "Young man, would you care to have a seat? I have a feeling you did not come here at this late hour for traditional Chinese healing."

Reluctantly, Nino and the others sat on their respective pillows. Alya moved to lay a hand on her boyfriend's should, but he scooted away. He felt her disappointment.

"Not now, Al. I need some time to process this." Nino drew his knees to his chest, resting his forehead against his thighs. He couldn't bring himself to look at her yet. Or Marinette. Or Adrien.

 _Adrien_. His best friend. Nino tightened his grip on his legs. Once, he thought they could tell each other everything. But now…

"How did you find us?" Marinette's voice jarred Nino back to the unfortunate reality before him. Sitting up, he fiddled with his ever headphones.

"It wasn't hard. I woke up sneezing from this weird dark sand that somehow got into my room. Right after that, my phone started buzzing. It was a news alert about Alya being captured and tortured by an akuma because of her access to Ladybug through the LadyBlog." Nino's hand found Alya's as his voice began to crack. "There was no video, just an audio recording of- of her _screaming_." He heard her stifle a cry, squeezing her hand for reassurance.

"I ran all the way to her house just in time to see Rena Rouge jump out of Alya's window. Hoping she was able to track Alya down, I followed her." Nino met eyes with the group, swiping the tears under his glasses. "I saw the fight. I saw most of your fears."

Adrien shuffled closer to Marinette as Chloe clenched her fist in her lap. No one was eager to relive their worst nightmares.

"When you dudes had beaten the akuma, I still hadn't gotten a text from Alya saying she was okay. I was about to get you guys to check the city again for her when you just up and left. Knowing I would need the "Miraculous Squad" to find Alya, I kept following you." Nino sighed, letting go of Alya's hand. "To be honest, I was really confused when the heroes of Paris landed at an old Chinese medicine place." I was even more confused when they turned out to be my friends," He looked to Adrien and Marinette. "My girlfriend," Alya. "… and Chloe. I'm still confused at how she became a hero."

"I earned it, thank you very much." The blonde girl sniffed.

Nino shrugged. "And now… We're here." He stood, moving away from the group to the nearby window. The dark streets of Paris beckoned the boy to run from his current dilemma; if he ran fast enough, the problem at hand wouldn't be able to catch him.

Just as his leg muscles tensed to bolt, Nino felt a warm hand on his shoulder."

"Nino," Adrien spoke softly. "I really am sorry I didn't tell you; that _we_ couldn't tell you."

"I honestly couldn't care one way or the other- OW!"

"Shut up, Chloe!" Marinette hissed. Nino turned to face his best friend.

Adrien gestured to the group. "We were all sworn to secrecy. The only reason we know each other's identities now is because we're facing a bigger threat than just Hawkmoth and the occasional akuma now and then. Master Fu believes that we'll need more help in this fight."

"Then I want in." Adrien stepped back in surprise. Master Fu quirked his brow as Nino moved to kneel in front of the old man. "I want to protect my friends, so their fears never come to pass. And if this new threat is big enough to need this much fire power, more people than just us are in danger."

Master Fu slowly rose to standing. "That is the correct answer." He removed the jade bracelet from his wrist. "Nino Lahiffe. This is the Miraculous of the Turtle, which grants the power of protection you seek. Use it for the greater good in conjunction with your team."

Wayzz floated pasted the shocked group of teenagers as Fu presented Nino with the Miraculous. "A wise choice, Master. The boy's desire to protect the greater good will serve him well in the battle ahead against Hawkmoth and his untold allies." As Nino slipped the bracelet into place over his silicone bands, Chloe stamped her foot impatiently.

"Yay. Nino's a part of our little 'Miraculous Squad' now. Can we get back to my story now? Feels like this has taken _months_."

Master Fu presented Nino with a cup of tea while refreshing the others. "Yes, Chloe. You were saying that you believe Hawkmoth knows who you are behind the mask?"

She nodded her head vigorously. "It was after he had my worst nightmares capture me in my house. He had a hunch that I was one of the two new heroes; I didn't deny it because I was trying too hard to resist him." Chloe slowly sipped her tea, her face twisting into a grimace of shame. "Hawkmoth thought that after how many times he's been able to akumatize me or use me to akumatize others, he would turn me into a double agent to spy on you. That's when Pollen showed up to help me." A finger tapped her chin in thought. "He was talking to someone else, but I couldn't hear their side of the conversation. He called them Mayura… said that if they combined their powers, they could break my spirit. Hawkmoth got angry, though. He wasn't too happy with them, by the sound of it." The girl cast a loving glace at her small yellow friend. "Pollen was able to snap me out of my funk and I was able to drop the connection."

"Hmm." The group turned to Marinette. Her arms were crossed in thought. "It sounds like this 'Mayura' wasn't fully cooperating with Hawkmoth. Maybe that's our opening. Hawkmoth tried to turn one of ours…" The girl smirked. "How about we return the favor?"

 **I will try a Saturday posting schedule as often as I can write. Hope to see everyone next week!**


	17. No One Is Alone: Nino and Alya

**Yay! BONUS CHAPTERS!**

 **Since this chapter is so short, you get it early! Don't worry- we'll still have our regularly scheduled programming posted on Saturday.**

"Thanks for walking me home." Alya swung her hand, linked with Nino's as they made their way to her house. Since it was so late after the akuma attack, Alya called her parents to let them know that she had somehow "ended up" on the other side of town and was now on her way home with Nino.

"There's no way I'm letting you walk alone after everything we went through tonight." Nino pulled Alya closer to drape an arm around her neck. Briefly kissing her forehead, he continued. "Hey, how did it feel finally discovering the identities of Ladybug and Chat Noir? You were chasing it for so long…"

Alya leaned into him. "I felt some of what you did- hurt, confused, a little betrayed. But since finding out, I haven't had an urge to post anything about it. They're my friends. And now, I can help protect Paris too!" The blogger tilted her head to meet his eyes. "Doesn't it make _so much sense_ about them, knowing what we know now?"

Nino chortled. "All the sneaking off and lame excuses! I suppose we'll have to do better than them with our new secrets."

"I guess you're right." The pair stopped as they reached Alya's building. "Oh. We're here."

"Wait," Nino held tight to her hand. "I didn't see what your worst nightmare was, and I don't have to know. Just know that I'm always here for you, babe. You're not alone."

Alya smiled, kissing him before opening the door. "I love you, dork. You're not alone either."


	18. No One Is Alone: Chloe and Pollen

**Sorry about last week's post! I didn't realize it posted funny like that. Here's what it was SUPPOSED to be!**

"What a night!" The lack of sleep finally caught up to the young heroine. She was grateful for the sweatshirt and pants Marinette had run to get for her. The bakery wasn't too far by yo-yo. Walking through the streets of Paris in one's pajamas was simply not done. Pollen snuggled deeper into the cozy material.

"We will certainly sleep well tonight, my queen." The kwami snuggled closer to Chloe, proud of how much her chosen had grown. "How much farther to the hotel?"

Chloe checked the GPS on her phone. "We're probably about another 15 minutes out, walking. My feet feel like lead! Ugh, I don't know if I can make it home like this- wait, who's calling me this late?"

Pollen popped out from the collar of the sweatshirt to get a better look at the buzzing screen. It was an unknown number.

"Answer it!"

"Hush." Chloe cautiously hit the green button and held the phone to her ear. "Uh, hello?"

 _"Chloe! Thank goodness! Are you okay?"_

"Who is this? How did you get my number?"

 _"Oh, sorry. This is Nathaniel. From school? Marinette gave me your number the other day in the art room."_

Realizing she didn't have a stalker, Chloe began to breathe easy again. Only Pollen noticed the flush that had crept up the girl's neck. "S-sure. Kurtsberg. But why are you calling me? It's almost four in the morning…"

 _"Well, uh… I was watching the coverage of the akuma attack and something in my gut told me to check on you. Did you not see my other calls?"_

Pulling the phone away from her face, Chloe checked her missed calls log. Yep. There were… "FIFTEEN missed calls? Kurtsberg, you better be grateful that I've got an unlimited plan!" Chloe huffed as she heard him chuckle. "Well, thank you for your concern. I've got to go-"

 _"Wait! You sounded frazzled when you answered. Are you sure you're okay?"_

Chloe checked her surroundings as she continued walking. "Other than thinking some random creep got ahold of my number? Yeah. I'm fine. I just ended up about 20 minutes from my house during the fight. I'm heading home now."

 _"Alone? At this time of night? Do you want me and my mom to come get you and take you home?"_

Chloe stumbled. This boy who she's barely started to be nice to wanted to wake up his mother at this ungodly hour to make sure she got home safely. Not many people cared about her like that… She felt her pulse beat a little faster. "N-no thanks. I'd probably make it home by the time you guys would get here."

Now she felt the heat from her cheeks. "But, um… w-would you mind staying on the phone with me until I get there? It shouldn't be too much longer." Chloe could almost _hear_ the poor boy blush as he stuttered.

 _"Uh… y-yeah. I c-can do that. What do you want to talk about? If you ended up that far from home, did the akuma do something to you?"_

"That's none of your business!" Chloe snapped. She immediately regretted it. She sighed. Pollen patted her neck, encouraging patience. "I'm sorry, Kurtsberg. The akuma- Sandboy- made you see your worst nightmare. It's still a bit fresh…"

 _"Are you up for talking about it?"_

Looking up, Chloe realized that she had made it home sooner than she anticipated. Looking at her phone, she discovered that she didn't want this conversation with the tomato-headed artist to end.

 _"Chloe?"_

"Um… not tonight. I actually just got home. It's really late and I'm tired." Chloe held the phone to her chest, heart beating much faster than it normally did. _Weird_. "But…would you want to have lunch tomorrow to talk about it? It might do me some good to talk it over with someone…" She giggled as she heard pencils hitting the floor on the other end of the line.

 _"Y-yeah! W-we can do that. Tomorrow's Saturday, so I'm not doing much. I know this great café near the school that won't be too busy. Uh… and I remember how much you liked that sketch I did of Queen Bee a few weeks ago. I can bring some of the new ones I've done if you want to see them."_

Leaning against the brick wall of the hotel, Chloe suppressed a grin. _He's been drawing me again!_ "Yeah. I would like that." Sensing that the conversation was finally at an end, she took a deep breath. "Nathaniel, we're… _friends_ … right?" Chloe grew nervous as silence dominated the space. "Nathaniel?"

 _"If we're not now, I look forward to becoming your friend."_

That made her smile. "Thanks, Kurtsberg. I'll see you tomorrow."

 _"See you tomorrow, Chloe! Good night."_

"Night." Ending the call, Chloe stepped into the building. Butler Jean was there to greet her with Mister Cuddly and a mug of warm milk. "Jean-Pascal! How could you be expecting me this late?"

"I saw Mademoiselle outside on the phone and whipped something together. I figured after a night like tonight, you could use something comforting. I am glad to see you home safe, Miss Chloe." The normally stoic servant let slip a relieved smile. "Oof!" Butler Jean found himself with a crying Chloe wrapped around his middle. "Is everything alright, Mademoiselle?"

Chloe wiped the tears from her cheeks. "It is now. Thanks for always being there for me, Jean…" She pulled herself away from the man. "I am so sorry! After all these years, I don't know your actual name!"

Butler Jean chortled as he drew back in for another hug. "It is fine, Mademoiselle. You never could remember it. It makes me smile to see what you come up with." He steered her towards the elevator, handing off the bear and the mug. "It's late and high time that you were in bed, Mademoiselle."

Smiling through the tears, Chloe clutched Mister Cuddly to her chest. "Jean-Louis, just call me Chloe. You've deserved it."


	19. No One Is Alone: Marinette and Adrien

Ladybug dropped onto the rooftop balcony of the Dupain-Cheng bakery and detransformed. Exhausted, Marinette fell into the lounge chair she kept on her balcony; however, it was already occupied.

"Did Chloe get off okay?"

Marinette snuggled deeper into the warmth of her favorite pillow- her boyfriend. "Yeah. We made sure the GPS would take her the quickest and safest way home. I offered to walk with her, but she said that letting her borrow the clothes was more than enough help for the night."

The teens sat in comfortable silence, happy to merely be in each other's company. Adrien rested his head atop Marinette's.

"Hey- this may be asking a lot… but would you feel comfortable telling me what you saw when Sandboy attacked? I just, I don't want you to bear it alone…" Adrien felt the girl relax further into him.

"It's not that it's hard to talk about, Adrien." Marinette sighed. "I know that what I saw isn't real and it's not what anybody thinks. What I saw just nags at the back of my mind sometimes. I can handle it." The boy gently turned Marinette's head until she was facing him.

"But what you saw meant a great deal to you. The dream sand brought out peoples' worst nightmares." He caressed her face; she leaned into his gentle touch. "You were able to bring me back from the brink when I saw what I feared most. Do you remember what you told me during that movie night all those months ago? 'You don't always have to be strong. That's why I'm here.'"

Instead of answering, Marinette returned her gaze over the early morning bustle of the city. Being almost four in the morning, she knew her father would be up soon to begin the baking for the Saturday morning rush. "Fine. I'll tell you." She wrapped his arm around her waist for emotional support.

"I was bed when Tikki and I were woken up by a rustling in the main room below my loft area. Peering down, we saw Master Fu. If he needs to get in touch with us, he usually sends Wayzz; we knew something serious must have happened. After jumping down, we felt that something was… off. Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, and Queen Bee appeared out of thin air behind Master Fu. Everyone's eyes were just _blank_..." Marinette shuddered. "Master Fu said that he had given me my Miraculous because he thought I could handle the responsibility. He said that he was mistaken. Hearing Tikki scream, I turned to see other people in costumes I didn't recognize walk out of the shadows. One of them had Tikki in his hand, squirming to get free."

Adrien rubbed her arm, hearing her sniff. "In a really deep and creepy voice, Master said that maybe he needed to pick a _new_ Ladybug…" Adrien felt her body tense as she clenched her teeth. "And then, _SHE_ walked into _MY_ room wearing _MY_ costume! Augh! Just the thought of it makes my blood boil!"

Marinette shot out of his grasp, moving to grip the railing along the balcony. Adrien joined her, not missing the angry tears in her eyes. He checked the surrounding area for a possible akuma.

"Who did you see?"

" _Lila_." The boy was surprised to hear his normally sweet-tempered girlfriend spit anyone's name with such venom. "My nightmare was that I'm not worthy of being Ladybug anymore. We've had a lot of close calls lately. What if my Miraculous… what if Tikki is given to someone like _that_!" She threw herself into his chest, barely containing the tears.

He tightened his grip around her waist. "I still don't fully understand what went down between you and Lila; that's a story for another day." Adrien pressed his forehead to hers. "I do know that _you_ were chosen for who _you_ are. And maybe we have had some close calls lately. That's not on you, though. We've simply become so awesome that Hawkmoth has gotten desperate enough to create akumas with more power." He smiled as she snickered. "Please don't give up hope, mi'Lady. If I had to battle you because you were attacked by an akuma… it's not something I even want to think about."

Marinette smiled, surprising Adrien by quickly kissing his nose. "Then I'll just have to remember that love always conquers hate!"

"That's my girl." As they shared a warm embrace, Adrien let out a massive yawn.

"It's after four in the morning, Kitty. Papa's probably already baking for the day. You need to get home before anyone notices you're gone." Marinette gently pushed him away. She giggled as he clung to her, pouting.

"Very well, Bugaboo, if I _must_ go… Plagg, CLAWS OUT!"

The sleeping kwami was rudely awakened from his spot next to Tikki. "Huh? What about my dream cheese! Tikki HELP MEEEEEEE!" A groggy Tikki snickered before falling back asleep. Chat Noir leapt atop the railing, purring as Marinette flicked the bell around his neck.

"Text me when you get home safe, okay?"

"Yes mam!" He saluted, falling backwards off the railing.

Knowing he only did that to get a reaction out of her, Marinette still threw herself against the railing. From the streets launched a cackling cat catapulted by his staff.


	20. No One Is Alone: Gabriel Agreste

**Evening all (at least it is where I am)! I was working on chapters 24 and 25 tonight and decided that I wanted to give you guys a mid-week treat!**

 **I know that for many people school has started back, so I want to give y'all a word of encouragement (or for anyone that could use a word tonight): "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." -James 1:12.**

 **Remember that any trial you are currently facing is only temporary. You WILL come out the other side stronger. Find a friend to talk to to help you through the darkness; read through the book of Proverbs (it was written to show us how to live our lives wisely);** **watch your favorite episode of Ladybug, remembering that good will always defeat evil.**

 **I know it may sometimes be taboo to mention "religious" things on a site like this, but if there is anything I can be praying about for you, feel free to send me a PM.**

 **Enjoy your bonus chapter this week!**

Hawkmoth massaged the bridge of his nose as he detransformed. Even with Mayura by his side, they had been unable to defeat the heroes. Gabriel looked to the woman in question as she detransformed as well. _It had all started so well…_

xXx

Nathalie Sancoeur had been Gabriel's assistant since the Agreste brand had been a small start-up company, way before Adrien. Back then, Emilie would invite her around for dinner every week. The trio were almost inseparable. After Adrien was born, Nathalie was made his godmother. Everything was perfect.

Until Emilie became sick.

None of the treatments were working and doctors had no idea what was wrong with her. Refusing to see their wife and friend die, Gabriel and Nathalie hatched a plan. They would fake Emilie's death and continue seeking treatments elsewhere.

Gabriel knew how hard it was for Nathalie to see Adrien sobbing over the casket at the funeral, knowing full well that his mother was clinging to life in a state-of-the-art stasis pod below the Agreste mansion. Under the guise of business trips, the designer searched the globe for a cure to heal his wife.

In Asia, he heard legend of a book that contained powerful secrets; he dismissed the rumor as magic and nonsense.

One evening, Gabriel, Nathalie, and Adrien were going through Emilie's belongings to see if anything could be donated,

"Oh. I remember this book." Gabriel peered over his should to see what his son had found. It was an old book with ancient symbols decorating the cover. "I think you and Mom brought it back from one of your trips to Thailand. These jewelry boxes were in the box with the book. What should I do with them?" Adrien held everything up for his father to see.

"Hm. I will take a more thorough look at them later. Nathalie, I believe it is time for my son's piano lesson. Please see to it." Abruptly, he turned his back to them, pretending to rummage through the box he had placed on the bed.

"Of course,… sir." He could hear the melancholy in her voice. Losing Emilie devastated them all, but it brought the man and his assistant closer than it probably should have. In private, they could relax around each other because they alone knew the truth about Emilie; in public, the must play the part of employer and stoic employee. They took comfort in each other's presence, growing closer and more affectionate as the days passed.

Gabriel collapsed onto the bed. He and Nathalie continued to search for a cure together, but they had almost exhausted every possibility; chased down every natural and holistic healing ritual. Nothing worked. Was it time to give up? Could he permit himself to get close to someone again? If one didn't have attachments, one wouldn't be as hurt when they were inevitably severed.

Sighing, Gabriel picked up the Adrien had set down. He began to flip through it. Maybe it would contain inspiration for a clothing line down the road.

"These look like… superheroes?" Page after page contained people in colorful costumes. One page depicted a man carrying a cane, cloaked in purple. On the page opposite was an image of a brooch of some kind. "Wait, I remember this brooch! Emilie and I found it in Thailand!"

Standing, he located the jewelry boxes Adrien had shown him. Opening the first one revealed a brooch, but not the one depicted on the page. He shut the lid. The second box yielded the correct brooch. There was a purple jewel in the middle with white wings on either side. A bright light filled the room, circling Gabriel. The light faded and a small purple creature stretched, yawning. It looked around the room, confused.

"Are you my new master? Where is the Guardian?"

"I don't know anything about a guardian! What are you and what can you tell me about this book?" Gabriel shoved the book into the creature's face. It's eyes went wide.

"My name is Noroo and I am a kwami. I am a creature that grants super powers to whoever wields the Butterfly Miraculous." The kwami pointed to the brooch in Gabriel's hand. "The Grimoire belongs to the Great Guardian. It catalogs all of the Miraculous and their powers." Noroo landed on Gabriel's shoulder as he continued to flip through the pages.

"Noroo, what is a Miraculous?"

The kwami cleared his throat, "Many centuries ago, magic jewels bestowing extraordinary powers were created. These were the Miraculous. Throughout history, heroes have used these jewels for the good of the human race. There are two Miraculous that are more powerful than the rest." Gabriel's ears perked at that. "The earrings of the Ladybug, which provide powers of creation; and the ring of the Black Cat, which grants the power of destruction."

As Noroo told his tale, Gabriel found the page that spoke of the most powerful Miraculous'. It contained an image of someone clearly wielding great power. Noroo continued.

"According to legend, whoever controls both of these jewels at the same time will achieve absolute power. It is possible that this 'absolute power' is the ability to make any one wish become reality." Gabriel's eyes flashed. An idea had already taken root.

" _Any_ wish?"

"Yes, Master. But there could be consequences…"

"I don't care. I need this absolute power, Noroo." He stroked the picture of Emilie on the nightstand next to the bed. "I must have those Miraculous!"

"But Master," Noroo began carefully. "Nobody knows where these Miraculous are. Only the Guardian would know."

"I guess we'll have to find this guardian and the Miraculous then, won't we my little Noroo?" Gabriel removed his ascot to attach the brooch to his shirt. The wings fell away, leaving only the purple jewel. "Tell me the powers of this Miraculous."

Noroo fluttered down to the book, flipping back to the image of the man with the cane. "My jewel allows you to give someone their own super powers and make that person your devoted follower."

"If the Ladybug and this Black Cat are superheroes, what better way to lure them out of hiding than flooding the city with supervillains?" A dark grin shadowed Gabriel's face. His grief, once turned to acceptance, now turned to desperation. What he had once dismissed as nonsense was his one shot at saving his beloved wife.

"I'm sorry, sir…" Gabriel stopped short, whirling on the kwami. The poor creature trembled. "The Miraculous are to be used for the benefit of mankind, not for evil." Noroo immediately regretted his words. A dark aura poured out of the man in front of him.

"Well, that's too bad, my little kwami. Because your Miraculous is under MY control and I will do whatever is necessary to achieve this absolute power! IS. THAT. CLEAR."

Noroo bowed lowed, resigned to his fate. "Yes, Master."

"Good. Then let's begin!"

Months would pass before the first akuma attack, the infamous first appearance of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and Hawkmoth's first defeat. Like a bad guy in a Saturday morning cartoon, none of Hawkmoth's schemes would pan out. The heroes always won the day.

One morning during breakfast with his son, Gabriel had an epiphany. I am one person, but they are a team. Maybe I should recruit a partner. He even already had someone in mind.

It was clear from the moment Nathalie put on the Peacock Miraculous that something was wrong. Gone was the doting godmother and private confidant. The shrewd and stoic persona Nathalie wore in public became her new personality. Many of the latest akumas had been her idea, researching the general population for who would be the most likely to exude negative emotions. While Gabriel was all for doing whatever was necessary to retrieve Ladybug's and Chat Noir's Miraculous' in order to save Emilie, his heart was torn. Truth be told, he was in love with both women. Now, they were both slipping away…

xXx

"Sir?"

Gabriel shook his head, returning to the present. Nathalie and her kwami were waiting for him by the lift platform.

"Forgive me; I was lost in a memory." He took her hand in his, lifting it to his lips. "I apologize for losing my temper today, my dear. We were just so close…"

She removed her hand from his grasp. "No, we weren't. They have increased their number, which gives them more coverage and more opportunities for defeating your akumas and my manipulations." As the lift returned to its position in Gabriel's office, Nathalie moved beneath the painting of her friend. "If we want to save Emilie, we need to take more drastic measures. Perhaps it is time we recruit someone else…"

"Who do you have in mind?" Gabriel stepped aside as Nathalie began to flip through files his desktop monitor.

"Someone I've been keeping an eyes on for a while. Not only does she hate Ladybug with a passion, but she may be able to help us turn all of Paris against the heroes."

Gabriel's professional persona slipped as a Hawkmoth-like laugh escaped. Yes. Lila Rossi would be a great help indeed…


	21. Reversed: Old Enemies, Same Problems

**Sorry not sorry about that mini hiatus. After a chapter like that last one, I had to leave you in _some_ suspense! :) Each side is gaining more players. Let's see if the balance of power shifts ****as expected...**

 _"Hi everyone!"_

"Hi Lila!"

Lila Rossi waved to everyone from the other side of the screen. She had video called them to give them an update on her life while she had been away from school.

"We can't wait to hear what you've been up to, Lila!" Madame Bustier clasped her hands. "Why don't you tell us about your week in the Kingdom of Achu?" Marinette glared at the screen, typing furiously on her phone.

 _It's been absolutely_ amazing _!" Lila gushed. "Prince Ali invited me and my parents on a grand tour of the palace and,"_

Marinette shot her hand into the air. "I _hate_ to interrupt, but Prince Ali couldn't possibly have invited you to the palace. He's been visiting the United States for the past week." She presented Prince Ali's Twitter page on her phone as proof. Adrien nudged her, frowning. "What?" She hissed. "I'm trying to expose her for the liar she is!" He shook his head, sighing.

Lila laughed. _"Oh Marinette. I never said he was actually there. He sent the invite and his parents gave us the tour._ " Scowling, Marinette propped her chin in her hands.

 _"I just missed you guys_ so _much!_ " Lila placed her hand over her heart. _"It's so hard being away from everyone while on this magical trip, especially with how close Hero's Day is!"_

As Lila began talking about her plans for Hero's Day, Marinette tuned her out. She was going to have to do something different than giving everyone macaroons this year…

"Thank you Lila, on behalf of planet earth!"

 _"Absolutely, Ms. Bustier. Superheroes like Ladybug may save lives, but they couldn't care less about the environment. Somebodyhad to come to the rescue!"_

Hearing that, Marinette tensed. Of course, the heroes cared! There just wasn't as much they could do. What gave her the right… Marinette felt a comforting hand rest upon her knee. She sighed. Adrien was right; as long as they knew the truth, it wasn't worth getting upset over.

The screen flickered as Lila pouted. _"I'm sorry to have to go, but as you can see, it's getting late here. I hope to see you all very soon!"_

Madame Bustier reached for the remote to the projector on her desk. "Thanks again for taking time to talk to us, Lila. Say good bye everyone."

"Bye Lila!" The screen went black.

xXx

As the conversation disconnected, Lila lowered her phone. She frowned as she closed the Twitter tab pulled up to Prince Ali's feed and turned off her lamp. Hearing someone jiggle her door handle, the girl slammed her laptop close. She grabbed a book and pretended to read as her mother entered the room.

"Who was that on the phone, _ma bella_?" She tapped away at her own phone.

Lila waved her hand dismissively. "No one, Mamma. It was just my boyfriend, Adrien. He's super clingy right now."

Mrs. Rossi looked up from her device. "I thought I saw somewhere that he was dating one of your classmates?" The girl's eye twitched.

"She's wannabe designer who's trying to woo him because of who his father is. He's someone who is too friendly to everyone." She grimaced. "I'll have to talk to him about that soon."

Mrs. Rossi went back to her phone. "Have you gotten any notifications about school opening back up? Hasn't it been 6 months since they shut their doors?"

Lila shook her head. "It's too dangerous with all of these akumatizations happening."

At that very moment, her mother's phone began to ring. "Ah! Here's your principal now. Maybe there's something the embassy can do to help the school…" Lila lunged for the small box, declining the call.

"Do NOT answer him, Mamma! He's been akumatized too. Just another poor soul that useless Ladybug failed to save." She trained her gaze downward, keeping her mother from seeing the rage in her eyes.

Mrs. Rossi took her phone as Lila returned to lounge on her bed. "Well, all of these akumatizations are quite concerning. I'll bring it up at my next embassy meeting." She kissed the top of her daughter's head. " _Chow, ma bella_. I put your lunch in the fridge. I'll see you tonight. _Ti amo_!"

"Love you too, Mamma." Lila halfheartedly replied. She had already reopened her laptop. Twitter was pulled up in no time. Post after post detailed what people were planning to do for their good deed on Hero's Day. Scowling, she closed Twitter. Lila brought up Instagram instead. Everyone was posting photos they had taken of the heroes as well as with them. The LadyBlog account had been uploading exclusive interviews with each hero, sharing what they loved most about Paris.

Not being able to stomach the sentimentality another moment, Lila switched to Facebook. The girl noticed that the _Agreste_ brand page posted a video recently. As she clicked play, Gabriel Agreste's face replaced the company logo.

 _"In honor of Ladybug and the heroes of Paris, who have saved my son Adrien and myself, who have relentlessly protected all of us every single day, I have personally financed the refurbishment of the statue in the_ Place des Vosges _. Once completed, it will pay homage to all of our heroes: Ladybug, Chat Noir, Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, and our newest hero, Carapace. It is my belief that they are the only true heroes, not like their mediocre imitators… such as Volpina."_

Shocked that one of the most influential men in the city would call her out like that, Lila felt herself become consumed with rage. The girl flung her laptop against the wall. The screen cracked and splintered across Gabriel's face.

"I HATE YOU, LADYBUG!" Lila screamed from the very depth of her soul. Tears streamed down her face as she collapsed to the ground. She didn't even notice the little black butterfly until it connected her to a familiar presence.

" _Volpina…_ "

"Hawkmoth!" Lila excitedly wiped the tears from her cheeks.

" _Your dreams and illusions were once a reality… until they were crushed by a certain pesky bug. I will have need of your illusions again soon. Together, we will destroy Ladybug and the other heroes. Can I count on you when the time is right to turn their dreams into nightmares?_ "

The girl grinned, the very thought making her giddy. "Absolutely, Hawkmoth. I await your command…"


	22. Reversed: New Friends, New Problems

As the bell rang, all of the students of _Françoise Dupont_ High School rushed to their next class. Having a free period, Marinette decided to visit the art room to work on one of her new designs. She noticed a boy sitting in shadow under the stairs.

"Oh, it's you, Marc!" Marinette giggled as the boy jumped. He dropped his pencil. "Still writing, I see."

Marc extricated himself from his hiding spot, attempting to locate his pencil. "Yeah. It helps keep me sane since my family moved here a couple months ago. I've just been so inspired, living in Paris! All of these heroes you guys have… they make for great stories."

Marinette leaned against the stair railing, smirking. "Are you ever going to let me read them?"

The boy shook his head, smiling. "Sorry, Marinette. They're just for me… for now. Maybe one day I'll do something with them."

The bluenette found the pencil. She returned it to its owner. "Well, if you ever get bored of writing in the stairwell, a bunch of us 'creatives' get together in the art room; sometimes, we even collaborate! Room 33- you should join us sometime." Marc shook his head.

"I'm still too shy to talk to talk to anyone else but you. You're one of the few people who bother to notice me."

"Maybe if you found a group of like-minded people, you would find a place to belong." Marinette shouldered her bag, patting Marc's arm reassuringly. "Well, I'm off the to art room. Hope to see you there!"

xXx

"Just keep it loose. Scribble the general human form. Then you can tighten it up, like this." Nathaniel sketched the rough outline of a human figure next to a sketch of Queen Bee. Chloe attempted to copy him in the sketchbook Nathaniel had given her.

"Why is this so hard?" The blonde huffed. The red head chuckled.

"That's every artist's biggest question. Maybe figure drawing isn't your style. Everyone's got their own." Nathaniel gestured to his sketches. "I enjoy drawing people, so I had to learn how to draw the human form."

"Nath, will you throw me the red?" Alix removed her paint-splattered air filtration mask as she placed an empty spray paint can on a nearby table. The boy obliged.

"Alix likes her street art, so she decided to take a course on typography in order to incorporate different font styles into her work." He placed a hand over Chloe's sketchbook. "Even if art only stays a hobby you do for fun or to relax, you'll find your style eventually."

Chloe smiled. "Thanks for taking the time to teach me a little about art. I never knew it was so complex." She liberated a loose page from Nathaniel's sketchbook. It depicted the now good Mighty Illustrator teaming up with the Miraculous Squad with Ladybug and Queen Bee front and center. "I especially like these new ones about the whole team. You should do a comic book or something."

"She's right, Nathaniel." A new voice came from the doorway. Lila stood there, looking as sweet as could be. The entire art room gasped. Rose bounded over to the girl, taking off her headphones.

"Lila! You're back!" The tiny girl gave Lila a hug. "We didn't realize you were coming back so soon!" The brunette awkwardly patted Rose on the back.

"Well, I told my diplomat parents that I wanted to be back in town for Hero's Day to see all of my friends. They canceled the rest of the trip to get us back in time!" Looking back at Nathaniel and Chloe's table, the girl smiled. "But yeah! You should totally do the comic book, Nathaniel! I once did an internship at one of the most prestigious comic book companies in Italy. Your work rivals a lot of the books they've produced."

A scoff from Marinette's table had every eye trained on her.

"What's wrong, Marinette?" Lila blinked. "Don't you think Nath's work is good enough to become a comic book?"

Marinette flushed. "Of-of course I do! I never said that. I think they're really cool." Peering around Lila, the girl noticed a familiar face.

"Marc! You came!" She jumped up, grabbing his hand to drag him into the room. "Everybody, this is Marc. He moved here a couple months ago. Marc, this is everybody." All of the students in the art room chirped a greeting.

Mr. Haberkern, the art teacher, approached the pair, extending his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you, young man. If I may ask, what form does your creativity take?"

Marc shyly tightened his grip on something under his sweatshirt. "Um… I like to write…"

Chloe perked up. "Really? We were _just_ talking about how Nath here should turn his Miraculous sketches into a comic book. If you like to write, you guys should totally get together and collaborate!" Marc curled further into himself.

"Uh… I don't think I'd be right for that… I hardly let anyone see what I write anyway." He backed away, bumping into Lila. "I'm sorry. This was a mistake… I… GOTTA GO!"

"Wait, Marc!" Marinette stood, but the boy had already bolted. He ran into the railing, dropping something as he continued running.

Marinette rushed to the fallen object. It was Marc's notebook! Unable to resist the temptation, she opened the cover. "The Diary of… _Ladybug_?"


	23. Reversed: The Opposite Effect

**Don't worry, friends!! I haven't forgotten you!**

Marc furiously tore through his locker. "Come on! Where is it?" He muttered.

"Looking for this?" He turned to see Marinette holding a small, black…

"My journal!" The boy grabbed it, clutching it to his chest. Marc sighed gratefully before freezing. "Wait. Y-you didn't read it, did you?" The girl nodded sheepishly. He groaned. "Aw man! No one's supposed to read it! It's just stories I've made up or wished would happen…" Marc slid down the wall of lockers, dropping his head into his hands.

Marinette joined him on the ground. She patted his shoulder. "They were a fun read, Marc! You seem to write exactly what Nathaniel draws. I think it would be a great idea for you two to collaborate on a comic book." Marc leaned his head back.

"I've thought about that. I saw his artwork on the school website. The lines are so clean and the faces he draws… they're just so expressive! I just get too nervous to ask him about it." He looked at the book of stories in his lap. "If only there was a way for him to decide to do it based on the merit of the story, not the writer."

An idea began to form. "I think I've got something… Trust me."

xXx

"Is this really such a good idea, Marinette?" Marc was hunkered down next to his friend behind the stairs as they watched Nathaniel showing Chloe how to sketch people as they moved.

Marinette dismissed the notion. "Of course, it is. By erasing your name from the title page, Nathaniel won't know that you're the one who wrote the stories. He'll judge them on their own merits."

He drew his hood over his head. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"You know it's not nice to spy on people." Adrien sidled up to where the pair was hiding. Both Marinette and Marc jumped, the boy practically falling over. Once Marinette regained her composure, she punched her boyfriend in the arm. He grinned as he massaged the sore spot. "What are you guys doing spying on Nath and Chloe?"

"We're not _really_ spying on them," The girl protested. She then explained the master plan.

Adrien frowned. "Marinette, you know that your plans don't have the best track record of turning out the way they're supposed to. My gut's telling me that this is a bad idea." Marc whimpered as Marinette rubbed his arm reassuringly.

"I have this well in hand, Adrien. I've got a good feeling about this one."

The boy shrugged, realizing that nothing he said would change her mind. "Just be careful, alright?" She quickly kissed his nose.

"When am I not?"

xXx

The final bell rang as students streamed out of the school. Among them were Nathaniel and Chloe. The blonde clutched her new sketchbook to her chest.

"Thanks for trying to teach me about art, Nathaniel. I doubt that I'll ever be as good as you, but it's definitely a fun way to unwind and relax!"

The boy smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Chloe. It's been fun hanging out with you. And don't worry- you'll get better with practice."

Before either one of them could say another word, Marinette appeared out of nowhere, startling them both. Chloe placed a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"Geez, Marinette! Creep much?"

The bluenette made a face. "Sorry, guys. I wanted to catch you before you left for the day." She held a small black book. Nath, someone asked me to let you borrow this."

"Who's someone?" Curious, he took the book from her.

Marinette shook her head, smiling. "I can't tell you; it's a secret!" She ran down the steps of the school. "Read it, and then we'll talk." The girl winked as she ran home.

Curious as her friend, Chloe peered over his shoulder as Nathaniel cracked open the cover. "Diary of… _Ladybug_?" He gasped. Chloe quirked an eyebrow as he flipped to the next page.

" _I call up my Lucky Charm as Chat Noir wields his Cataclysm,"_ He read. _"And, together, we defeat the Evillustrator! #poundit But even though we won this fight, something keeps bugging me… I know Evillustrator's real identity and think that he could be a great ally! However, Chat Noir doesn't want to put anyone else in danger. Instead, I sometimes try to keep an eye on him if I happen to fly over his school. I'm waiting for the day we can make him a hero too…"_

Nathaniel close the book, his pulse racing. "Ladybug… wants _me_ … to become a hero? Is- is this even real?"

"I'm about to find out," Chloe muttered, whipping out her phone. "I need to get home. I'll see you tomorrow, Nath."

"Yeah… sure…" He sat on the steps, already lost in the book.

xXx

C: _What did you just give to Nathaniel? I know for a fact that's not 'Ladybug's' diary_

M: _It's my friend Marc's. He likes to write stories about LB! We both think he should team up w/ Nath for a comic book; he's just too shy to ask him directly_

 _We erased his name from the front page, so Nath won't know who wrote it_

C: _Well, now he thinks LB is the one who wrote it! He thinks it's her actual diary. M, I don't think this is a good idea…_

M: _… Adrien said that too…_

 _The plan's already in motion. We'll just have to ride it out. Who knows? Maybe Nath will appreciate that Marc has a spark of LB's voice!_

C: _I hope you're right…_

xXx

Marinette drew a shaky breath as she used her camera to zoom in on the fountain at the Place des Vosges where Marc was waiting. Tikki was settled comfortably on the girl's shoulder.

"This is it, Tikki; the final phase of 'Operation: Comic Book'. Oh, I hope this works!"

Nathaniel entered the park warily. He double checked the time on his phone. Yep. It was the right time and place to meet the author of the diary. He could hardly believe it- Nathaniel was about to meet Ladybug!

Looking around anxiously, Nathaniel spotted someone in a red hoodie sitting by the fountain. He hurried over; excitement written on his face.

"Ladybug?" He asked hopefully.

Excitement turned to shock and disappointment as not Ladybug pulled down their hood. "What?! You're not Ladybug!"

Marc appeared as shocked as the artist. "Of course not. It's me- Marc. We met in the art room. I'm the one who wrote 'The Diary of Ladybug.' Didn't Marinette tell you to meet me here?"

"Marinette?" Disappointment turned to anger as he turned to said-girl's building. He could see her filming them from her balcony.

Tikki gasped as Marinette fumbled with her phone. "Uh oh, Tikki! I think 'Operation: Comic Book' has hit a snag!" Why didn't I listen to Adrien and Chloe?"

Nathaniel pointed an accusatory finger at Marc. "You guys were trying to make me look stupid, weren't you? Did you think that I still have a crush on Ladybug? Because you're wrong! I haven't felt that way about her in a while!" His voice began to crack as he overshared.

Marc held up his hands in self-defense, almost falling into the fountain. "No! Not at all! I don't know anything about your feelings – or lack of feelings – for Ladybug! I-I just… want to make… a comic book with you… if you want to, that is."

"A comic book? With you? NEVER!" The red head snarled. He pulled the journal from his bag. Nathaniel's rage fueled his emotions as he tore the book in half.

"NO!" Marc lunged for the remains of his precious book as Nathaniel stormed away.

Marinette pocketed her phone. "We need to get down there, Tikki!" The girl and her kwami scrambled down the ladder into Marinette's room.

xXx

After the confrontation, the park was quiet; the only sound besides Mr. Ramier's pigeons that could be heard was Marc sobbing over his ruined dreams. He didn't even notice the akuma that connected with one of the loose pages of his journal. Gasping at the sudden surge of power, Marc heard a voice in his mind.

" _Reverser, I am Hawkmoth. You have been accused of being someone that you're not, so from now on, no one will be who they claim to be. I'm giving you the power to invert anyone. Everyone you touch will become the opposite of their true selves. In return, I want Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous."_

Marc grinned. "Nothing will be the same anymore, Hawkmoth!" He threw his book onto the ground. It transformed into a giant paper glider. Marinette rushed onto the scene just as Marc was enveloped by a familiar purple aura.

"Marc! What happened?"

Reverser turned to the girl, half of his body white; half of it black. "I'm not Marc anymore. I am REVERSER! And _you_ , Marinette!" The villain pointed to her. "YOU are the one responsible for all of this!"


	24. Reversed: Boys and Baking

**Since it has been so long since I've posted, I decided to give you another chapter this week. Enjoy!**

"Marc! What happened?"

Reverser turned face Marinette. "I'm not Marc anymore. I am Reverser! And _you_ , Marinette!" The villain pointed to her. " _You_ are the one responsible for all of this!" He grabbed a paper airplane from the underside of his glider. "You think you're the super helpful girl who's loved by everyone? Well, from now on, they'll hate you! REVERSION!" Reverser threw the paper airplane at Marinette; it hit Mr. Ramier instead, who was sitting nearby on a bench surround by his birds.

"Ouch!" The man rubbed the spot on his chest where the airplane had made contact. "Oh! What's happing to you, my little pigeons?" All of the birds began to turn on him and fly away. "Where are you going? Wait! Come back! _Please_!" Mr. Ramier chased after his beloved pigeons as Reverser laughed.

"You're just the start, bird-man! I will invert all of Paris! Including Nathaniel and Marinette. Speaking of…" The villain looked around. In all of the commotion with the birds, Marinette had managed to sneak away. Reverser snarled.

"MARINETTE!" He flew away, searching for his next victim.

The girl Reverser was so desperately searching for found sanctuary behind one of the thicker trees within the park. She ran a weary hand down her face.

"Oh, Tikki! Where did this go wrong? We'd better find out. SPOTS ON!"

xXx

Adrien leaned his head back against the seat of his father's car. It had been a rough fencing practice; Mr. D'Argencourt had run him and Kagami through an advanced set of drills. The boy massaged his sore neck as he listened to the newscast on the seat back in front of him.

 _"In other news, Ladybug has been spotted flying behind the contraption of what appears to be a new supervillain! No sign yet of Chat Noir…"_

Just then, Adrien heard a familiar yelp. Peering out the window gave him the perfect view of his spotted girlfriend being dragged behind a black and white glider through the stopped traffic. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before she was whisked away.

" _Really_ , LB?" Adrien muttered. "Hey," He leapt out of the car, making excuses to his bodyguard. "I just realized that I left my fencing gloves back at the school. Since the traffic is so bad, I'll catch up to you later." The boy dashed away to a secluded spot to transform.

xXx

"How much butter do we need Chloe?" Sabrina held the refrigerator door open.

Chloe consulted a card. "The recipe Marinette gave me calls for a total of 12 ounces of unsalted butter. Do we have that?" Sabrina triumphantly held aloft the needed ingredient.

"This was a great idea, Chloe! Homemade croissants! I've never tried baking them from scratch. Is that Marinette's family recipe?" Chloe shook her head as she gathered the rest of the ingredients.

"No. It's an easy one she found for me online. There's _no way_ she could give me a recipe passed down for generations." She leaned on the island. "From what she's told me, he's very traditional. If that recipe every left family hands, he would blow a gasket!"

The girls laughed as the speaker box on the wall squawked, indicating that the lobby was calling up to the penthouse. Still chuckling, Chloe pressed the button to answer.

"Who is it?"

 _"There's a boy here for you, Ms. Bourgeois. Says his name is Nathaniel?"_

The girl blushed as she felt her friend hovering over her shoulder. "Well, he's clear to come up."

 _"That's the thing- he was asking if you are free to join him at the Louvre. Right now."_

"YES! She'll be right down!" Sabrina mashed the speaker button, pushing past a protesting Chloe. "Come on! We need to get you changed for your date!"

"This is not a date!" Chloe huffed. She looked down at her outfit. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Sabrina shoved a bundle of cloth into her arms.

"It doesn't really scream, 'first date'."

"That's because it's _not_ a date!" Chloe protested as Sabrina shuffled her through her bedroom into the luxurious bathroom. "I don't know why he didn't just come up if he wanted to hang out." Her voice was muffled through the door.

"Because he wants to be _alone_ with you!" Sabrina leaned against the closed door. "You two have been spending a lot of time together recently… How serious is this getting?"

"Oh, shut up!" Sabrina giggled at her friend. "What about our croissants?" Chloe opened the door, revealing Sabrina's chosen outfit: a baggy yellow sweater with a double black stripe across the front paired with a short black flared skirt and black ankle boots.

Sabrina waved her hand. "I'll finish them up so they're ready when you get back. I want to hear all about it!" She plopped Chloe's purse into her hand, unaware of the tiny creature flying into it. "Now get going!"

xXx

"Wow, Chloe. You look… great." Nathaniel was at a loss for words as Chloe emerged from the hotel's entrance. The blonde shyly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, thanks. So…" She twiddled her thumbs. "You wanted to go to the Louvre?"

Nathaniel kicked a loose piece of gravel along the sidewalk. "Yeah. I had a rough day today; I like to go there because it calms me and I like to talk things over with…" He trailed off. Chloe stepped away, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"With who, Nath?"

He peered up at her from behind his mop of hair. "Alix usually goes with me. She's going to meet us there."

Something shattered inside of the girl. "Oh… yeah. I'm sure you too will have fun, since you both know so much about art…" She turned her back to him to return to her familiar and safe penthouse. Chloe didn't want to give Nathaniel the satisfaction of seeing her cry. How could she have gotten her hopes up?

"Wait!" The boy grabbed her arm, turning her back towards him. "I want you there too!" Nathaniel's face flushed. "I-I mean… Alix is a good friend, but that's all she is. For the longest time, she's the only one who could understand the way art makes me feel, how it helps me overcome my anxiety and shyness. I can share just about anything with her."

His gaze wandered as his hand traveled down her arm to grasp her hand. "But… these past few weeks, they've shown me that… maybe I want to start sharing things with you too."

Chloe's eyes snapped up, several tears escaping down her cheeks. Nathaniel wiped them away.

"Are you okay," He gestured between them. "Seeing where this goes?"

Feeling her heart about to burst from her chest, Chloe felt herself nodding. "Yes. I'd like that."


	25. Reversed: Call in the Calvary

**GUYS! I am SO SORRY for how long it has been since my last update (unfortunately this seems to happen quite often)!**

 **I honestly haven't been inspired as of late, but now I am going to push myself to at least finish this story. I've got between 10 and 15 chapters left within Miraculous: Tales (unless the writing bug just lets loose, but that's the planned number).**

 **I'm hoping to update 2-3 times a month. I have a NEW full time job and it takes priority, so I'll probably use writing as a brain break that gets me watching Miraculous again for inspiration.**

 **Enjoy Chapter 25: Call in the Calvary!**

"About time you two showed up!" Alix stood as Nathaniel and Chloe entered the gallery. She quirked an eyebrow at their entwined hands. "How long has this been going on?"

The teens looked at each other, smiling. "We're seeing where it goes." Nathaniel squeezed her hand.

Alix rolled her eyes, secretly thrilled that the two of them had moved past their differences and their pasts. "So, what's the big emergency, Nath? Why did you have us race over here?" She skated around the bench where the blonde and redhead sat.

"He wouldn't tell me on the way over here."

"I wanted to tell both of you at the same time." The boy dropped his head into his hands. He explained the events of the afternoon, from Marinette giving him 'Ladybug's' diary to him storming away from Marc, humiliated.

Chloe shook her head. "I told Marinette this was a bad idea." She muttered. "Nathaniel, Marinette was just trying to help Marc. They thought the stories he wrote would work well with your sketches in a comic book. She thought that if you didn't know who wrote them, you wouldn't be biased by the author." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Marc's just really shy."

Nathaniel met her gaze. "I guess I can understand that."

Alix skated backwards, snapping her gum. "We all know that Marinette's plans don't always turn out the way they're supposed to." The group shared a laugh. They stopped as they heard a crash from the next gallery over.

"Nathaniel?! Where are you? This is an emergenc- _Whaa_!" Ladybug flipped head over heels as she and Chat Noir tumbled to the ground. The teens leapt up from their bench. "This is getting old…" She muttered.

"Ladybug? Chat Noir? What's going on?" Nathaniel and Alix rushed to help them up while Chloe hung back. Ladybug carefully opened her yo-yo to its news app. Chat cowered behind her, cloaked in a blanket.

 _"It has been confirmed: thousands of tons of garbage, all a part of Mayor Bourgeois' controversial Space Dumpster program, have been released from space. Unless the mayor cancels the process, Paris will soon be buried under mountains of trash! However, the supervillain behind this chaos has given an ultimatum."_

The camera cut from Nadja reporting in the studio to a live feed of Reverser at the Eiffel Tower, the mayor cackling to himself in the background.

 _"Ladybug! Chat Noir! I command you to deliver Nathaniel and Marinette to me, RIGHT NOW! I also demand that you hand over your Miraculous."_

Chloe seethed as Ladybug put away her yo-yo. "I don't care what that villain did to Daddy! You're NOT giving him Nath!" She tightened her grip on his hand.

The spotted heroine sighed. "We have to try and talk to Reverser. I hate to put you in danger, but we need you, Nathaniel." She absent-mindedly stroked Chat Noir's head as he trembled by her side. Alix gestured to the poor boy.

"What's wrong with him? The cat's usually cooler than this…"

"Kitty here was hit by one of Reverser's airplanes. He reversed Chat Noir's bravery and turned me into a clutz- _whaa_!" Even standing still, Ladybug tripped over herself. That in turn caused Chat to yelp, leaping into the air and landing on the girl. The three remaining teens attempted to detangle the heroes.

"Looks like you guys could use some help." Alix crossed her arms. "I'm coming with."

"Me too!" Chloe chimed.

Ladybug raised her hand to stop them. "No. I don't want to put any more people in danger than I have to. We also don't have time to call in the rest of the Miraculous Squad to help protect you." She glanced meaningfully at Chloe, hoping she would understand what she was trying to say. Chat hesitantly tapped her shoulder.

"Would it be okay if I stayed here, Bugaboo? I'd at least be out of the way…"

"Boo!" Alix had snuck up behind the boy to scare him.

Yowling, Chat Noir jumped into Ladybug's arms out of fear. Unable to hold his weight in her clumsy condition, the two collapsed to the floor… again. Ladybug hissed as her boyfriend's elbow dug into her ribcage. Alix offered a helpful hand with a smirk on her face.

"Fine. Alix, you can come." She took the hand. "Chloe, you need to go home. We don't want Reverser using you or your father against us."

"She's right, Chloe. I'll feel better knowing that you're safe." Nathaniel blushed, realizing what he just said. He drew her in for a quick hug.

"Alright. I'll go home. But you'd better come and help Sabrina and me eat all of those croissants she's made!" She smacked his chest.

He chuckled, massaging where Chloe had hit him. "It's a date."

Chloe winked at Ladybug on her way out. She had gotten the message. No way was she sitting this mission out! She found an empty bathroom stall near guest relations on the floor closest to the surface. Pollen emerged from the girl's bag once the door had shut.

"Come on, Pollen. It's time to call in the cavalry. BUZZ ON!"


	26. Reversed: Beauty and the Bee

**I wanted to finish off the Reverser arc before beginning work on the final arc. Stay tuned at the bottom for the final arc reveal!**

Queen Bee launched herself across the sky. She wanted to beat the group to the Eiffel Tower. This mission was going to be tough. Not only was her father under an akuma's control, but the guy she was developing feelings for was on the villain's hit list! As Bee grumbled to herself, she felt a warmth radiating from her Miraculous.

Pollen was right- focus on the task at hand. Dwell on emotions later. A bright glimmer from the sky caught her attention.

"Stars?" The girl muttered. _Not_ stars! The dumpsters her father were controlling were getting closer! "I need to hurry!" Queen Bee threw her spinning top, navigating behind the Eiffel Tower as to not be seen by Reverser. She crouched low on a higher platform.

She squinted at the bright light that flashed at the base of the Tower. Peering over the edge of the platform provided the girl with a view of her friends. She saw a boy with bright red hair holding a black and red spotted object.

"Ladybug must have used her Lucky Charm." Bee muttered.

"Reverser! We're over here!" Queen Bee could see Ladybug using a megaphone to project her voice. She flattened herself onto the platform as to not be seen.

"I'll only reverse the mayor back if you give me Chat Noir AND Nathaniel!"

"Please don't do it, LB… I know that you've got some sort of plan!" Chloe was never one to whimper, but her emotions were beginning to get the better of her. Slapping both sides of her face, Queen Bee attempted to get her focus back. Whatever Ladybug had planned, it was going to happen soon. She needed to be ready.

"Go Chat Noir!"

Snapping her head up, Bee was taken aback as she witnessed a clearly terrified super-cat run off the side of the Eiffel Tower, connected to a homemade kite. Reverser dodged the movement, pulling his arm back to throw the paper airplane at a vulnerable Nathaniel. Queen Bee dropped next to the boy. She grabbed his hand.

"Time to go, Kurtzberg!" The blonde shouted.

"Queen Bee?"

"Yes, it's me. I'm here to save you. Would you mind not talking while I'm trying to aim?"

"Aim whaa _aAAA_!" Nathaniel clung to the girl as she flung them off the edge of the Eiffel Tower.

Only at the last second did her spinning top catch and stop their downward protectory. The two bounced as the cable held their weight. Queen Bee set them down behind the Visitor's Center, away from the action.

"Wow! Queen Bee! You rescued me!" Nathaniel's legs were still shaking as he released his savior. "I didn't think Ladybug had time to call for backup." Bee checked their surroundings, hearing Chat Noir's terrified scream of "CATACLYSM!" around the corner.

"Um, well…" She racked her brain for an excuse. "I heard about it over the news. It seemed serious and I hadn't heard from Ladybug, so I hightailed it over here in case she needed back up. I saw you with Reverser and Chat Noir when I arrived on scene."

 _"_ _TIME TO DE-EVILIZE!"_ Pink and red butterflies surrounded the base of the Eiffel Tower, dispersing into the city where they were needed.

Queen Bee sighed. It was finally over. "Looks like you're safe, Kurtzberg. Stay safe." She was about to launch herself away from the scene when Nathaniel grabbed her arm.

"Wait! I-I doubt you've seen any of my artwork on the Miraculous Heroes, but you're the only one I don't have good reference photos for. Even Carapace let me take some of him during his first days. I've noticed that… you tend to keep to yourself." The girl glanced to hand on her arm. Nathaniel hurriedly removed it. "Would you mind if I took some quick photos?"

Bee checked her watch. "Why not. Just a few, though."

For several minutes, Nathaniel directed her into different poses at different angles. Luckily, he still had his phone on him to take pictures with. The sun had nearly set when the pair called it quits. Queen Bee queued up spinning top.

"I had better see those new art pieces on Twitter, Kurtzberg." She winked and was whisked away.

Nathaniel smiled and shook his head as he walked around the tower to join Ladybug and the others. "You will… _Chloe_."

xXx

The next week, the art room was a buzz with excitement. Nathaniel and Marc were proudly displaying their new comic book. It featured the entire Miraculous Squad, with Queen Bee and Mighty Illustrator front and center in the debut issue.

"Guys, this looks AMAZING!" Marinette flipped through the pages, marveling at how professional it looked.

Chloe smiled at her boyfriend, squeezing his arm. "Those photos of Queen Bee you showed me really helped make her look as realistic as the others." Nathaniel patted her hand. He reached for another comic laying on the table.

"I don't know if you guys have heard, but Marc's dad is a printer and helped us mass produce the book! One of the local newsstands saw us reading it and wants to pick it up for Heroes Day next week." Everyone applauded. Marinette nudged Marc.

"What did I tell you about what would happen when you found like-minded people?" The boy blushed and ducked his head.

"I admit that I needed that push to talk to Nath, Marinette. Thanks for that. However, I may be more direct in my approach next time."

It was Marinette's turn to blush as the rest of the class laughed. It was a perfect moment.

Too bad it wouldn't last…

 **Ooooooh! So begins the end...**

 **The final arc will be... _Project Catalyst!_ It will debut in February, so get hyped and ready! Things will never be the same again...**

 **Until next time, STAY CREATIVE!**


	27. Project Catalyst: Prelude

**This is it everybody! The last arc of Miraculous: Tales! TBH- I got myself hyped outlining the next several chapters! :) Enjoy the prelude to the beginning of the end...**

Lila scoffed from the doorway. _Oh yeah. Let's all laugh at Marinette because she's so lovably imperfect. Give me a break!_ She slipped away without anyone noticing.

Darkness tinted the cloud filled sky, foretelling a storm. Lila quickened her pace. She couldn't be late. Hopefully _he_ would be waiting.

"Hello, _ma bella_! You're home from school early. Is everything alright?" Mrs. Rossi barely glanced up from her phone as her daughter entered.

"Everything's fine, Mamma. My last class just ended early. I'm going to go up and work on my Heroes Day project." The girl snagged a soda and some crackers from the kitchen before heading upstairs. Her mother stopped her with a hug.

"Honey, I know your dad and I aren't around much, and we're sorry for that. I just want to say how proud I am of you jumping right back into school as soon as it opened again. You're making the best of a rough situation."

Lila detangled herself from her mother's grip. "I certainly am. I've really got to go work on that project Mamma." Mrs. Rossi stroked her head. With a grin, Lia rushed up the stairs.

 _Please still be there! Please still be there!_ Slamming her door, Lila scoured her bedroom until she found what she was looking for. Chuckling, she picked up a little purple butterfly resting on the lip of one of her tribal masks. She allowed the akuma to be absorbed into her bracelet.

"Hello Hawkmoth."

 _"Ms. Rossi. You're late."_ The girl put away her schoolbooks as the light mask around her eyes tightened. She winced.

"Sorry. My mom caught me on the stairs, and I couldn't get away. But I'm here now." She sat on her bed, kicking her legs. "So… is Project Catalyst almost ready?"

 _"Yes, my dear. Phase One is almost upon us. I do, however, require a trial run. Based on the information that you have provided me, I have the perfect victim in mind."_

A giddy sensation bubbled in Lila's stomach. "Cool! What part will I be playing?"

 _"A rather large one that begins now."_ The brunette's face contorted in confusion when she heard a car pulling up. She ran to the window to peer out. A long black limousine sat parked at the curb, a non-descript driver in a black suit and sunglasses standing by the passenger door. _"Get in the car, Ms. Rossi."_

"Excuse me?" Lila hesitated. She wanted to bring the downfall of those brats Marinette and Ladybug, but would she get in a strange man's car? "How do I know this isn't a trick?" She gripped the sides of her head as a sharp pain appeared.

 _"You pledged yourself to my plan. Once you see what else I have to offer, you will be begging to be by my side. Now… GET. IN. THE. CAR."_

Lila gulped, the light mask fading away. She grabbed her bag and crept down the stairs. She needed to have a lie ready to tell her mother in case she was caught. Her preparation was all for naught, however. A note taped to the fridge explained that Mrs. Rossi was called into the embassy on last minute urgent matters and that dinner was in the freezer.

The driver wordlessly opened the door as Lila slid inside. The windows were tinted so heavily that the girl couldn't see where they were going. She acted confident and suave on the outside; however, she was inwardly trembling. _Am I making a mistake?_ The vehicle slowed and the driver opened her door.

"Wait. We're at… the Agreste Mansion?" The driver ushered her through the gates towards the massive doors. They swung open and Gabriel Agreste's assistant stood at the top of the stairs.

"Welcome Ms. Rossi. We've been expecting you."

Lila entered the lobby and was shown into Gabriel's _atelier_. He was bathed in golden light streaming from the widows as he stood stoically in front of a massive painting. _That woman looks… like Adrien!_ The doors thudded shut. It was just the two of them.

"It's nice to finally meet you face to face, Ms. Rossi." Gabriel turned to face her.

Lila scrunched her face, placing a hand on her hip. "Hang on. You mean to tell me… that the big, bad villain terrorizing Paris is one of the world's leading fashion moguls?" She crossed her arms. "I'm not buying it."

A tiny purple creature emerged from Gabriel's jacket pocket. "It's true, miss. You are one of the very few people who know that Gabriel Agreste is Hawkmoth." Gabriel brushed the tiny being aside as he strode towards the girl.

"Does that convince you?" Lila shrugged.

"I've seen weirder things since moving here from Italy, but supposedly only Hawkmoth and those lousy heroes have those magic bugs." Her confidence in the situation growing, Lila clasped her hands behind her back and moved around the room. "I've already said that I'm on board with your plan to take down Ladybug, and Marinette while you're at it, but what else did you intend to offer me?"

Gabriel kept pace with her movements. "Your information about Ms. Dupain-Cheng and the others being poor influences on my son has me concerned. Once we have completed Project Catalyst, I will sign you to my brand and have you model exclusively with Adrien. You will be with him more than anyone else."

A shiver of excitement flooded through the girl. Model with Adrien? Be the main woman in his life? It was all she had wanted since she had laid eyes on the boy. She kept her face neutral as she spun to face the man.

"That does sound very enticing. I was already in, but now I'll pull out all of the stops. Shake on it?" Lila held out her hand.

Gabriel smirked as they shook. "You and I are in accord, Ms. Rossi. Project Catalyst will be our greatest accomplishment."


	28. Project Catalyst: Princess Justice

**I had to post something in honor of the rest of Season 3 being on Netflix today! I also just completed another chapter and felt very proud of myself :)**

 **Enjoy a restful and relaxing Sunday!**

THREE _DAYS BEFORE HEROES DAY_

 _The bell rings and the class parts ways for their lunch break. Marinette and Ayla are engrossed in a conversation about the latest_ Majestia _comic and don't notice Lila hanging back. Ms. Bustier is preparing the board for reviewing the test the students had just taken when they return from lunch. The test and its answers are laying on her desk._

 _Lila silently swipes an answer key from the desk. She saunters to the locker room, hiding in the shadows. She knows Marinette is still at her locker. Lila distracts the girl with a phone call, slipping the test answers into her bag. Marinette is none the wiser._

xXx

"Is it done?" The white butterflies hover around Hawkmoth and Lila.

"Yes. I left the anonymous tip and they should be returning from lunch very soon." Anticipation swelled within her chest.

"Are you ready to test Phase One?" The villain prepared an akuma as Lila steeled herself.

"I'm ready, sir! Power me up!" The girl welcomed the familiar feeling of hatred and power as it washed over her.

"Welcome back Volpina. Prepare your illusion and Phase One will begin…"

xXx

Ivan held the door open for Mylene as students filed into the room, their stomachs full. Lila followed Sabrina and Chloe, chatting with Nathaniel about an idea for his next comic book. Chloe glanced behind to see if her boyfriend was alright. He gave her a reassuring wink.

Marinette rolled her eyes at each lie as she took her seat next to Adrien. He patted her shoulder.

"Don't let her get to you." She sighed.

"I know it's just hard someti…"

"Welcome back class!" Ms. Bustier passed back everyone's papers… except Marinette's. "I graded your papers during lunch. Most of you did very well. One person in particular did a little _too_ well. Before we get to the rest of you, Marinette, will you please bring your backpack down here? I need to follow up on an anonymous tip I received during the break."

Heat flooded Marinette's face as the tone of the class shifted. Adrien frowned. Marinette rose to do as her teacher asked.

"Is there something wrong, Miss?"

Ms. Bustier began poking through the girl's bag. "I received a tip claiming that you had stolen the test answers…" The room filled with gasps as she withdrew an extra sheet of paper with Ms. Bustier's handwriting. "It looks like that tip was right."

Marinette had never seen a look of disappointment like the one Ms. Bustier was giving her now. "But Miss! I've never seen that paper before!" She scrambled to think of what could have happened. " _Someone_ must have planted that in my bag!"

The woman showed Marinette her test compared to the answer sheet. "But you answered every single question correctly…"

The girl inwardly applauded herself, but she wasn't out of the woods yet. "That's because I studied!" Chloe leapt to her feet.

"That's true, Miss! I was studying with Marinette, Alya, Nino, and Adrien last night. She knew all of the material front ways and backways – _without_ an answer key."

Ms. Bustier paused. "That still doesn't explain how the answers got in your bag, Marinette." A sniff from the back of the room turned everyone's head.

"Oh Marinette! You must be under so much pressure to resort to something like this!" Lila sniffed again, tears pooling in her eyes. Things started to click for Marinette.

She pointed an accusatory finger at the brunette. "It was you! You gave Ms. Bustier the tip!" Lila gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. Marinette ground her teeth at the girl's expert playacting.

"I'm coming to your defense and you're accusing me? I got the worst grade in the class, see?" Lila held up her paper. Sure enough, there was a bold 10.0 with the note to 'study more next time'.

Marinette crossed her arms. "You must have flunked the test on purpose!" That sparked a debate amongst the students. Shouts were heard defending both students and Ms. Bustier attempted to regain order.

"That is ENOUGH!" She roared. The room went silent. It was rare for their teacher to raise her voice above a stern warning. "Marinette, Lila, both of you please go to the principal's office until we get this sorted out."

xXx

"If I may say so, Volpina, that was a masterful manipulation." Hawkmoth commended his young partner. The girl gave a mock curtsy.

"That's nothing, Hawkmoth. Let's get Marinette in some _real_ trouble… how about pushing a poor defenseless girl down a flight of stairs?" Volpina grinned maniacally as she waved her hands, preparing the next illusion.

xXx

"But sir! It wasn't me! I didn't even lay a hand on her…" Sabine placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. Marinette could feel her mother shaking with anger. Whether it was at her or the situation, she couldn't tell.

"I don't know why Marinette doesn't like me! She's been like this since I've moved here. I've been nothing but nice to you!" Lila cried into her hands.

"That is a lie and you KNOW it!" Marinette seethed.

Mr. Damocles held up a hand to silence her. "Please continue, Lila."

The girl sniffed. "She even took a necklace I had received from my grandmother before we left Italy… before she died…" That sent Lila into hysterics again. Mr. Damocles sat straighter in his seat.

"Took? As in _stole_ " He glared at Marinette.

That did it! Marinette shot up. "That's not true! I never stole anything!"

"My daughter is not a thief!" Tom protested. "You're accusing her without any proof!"

Lila sighed, like she didn't want to reveal the information she possessed. "Oh… I've got proof…"

The group left Mr. Damocles' office and walked down to the locker room, Marinette front and center. She couldn't meet the curious eyes of her friends as they walked past. She knew that she was innocent, but this walk of shame wasn't helping her case.

Mr. Damocles pointed to Marinette's locker. "Please open your locker, Ms. Dupain-Cheng."

Knowing there was no possible way for Lila to get into her locker without her knowledge, Marinette opened the door. If Lila wanted to make a fool of herself then let her…

Everyone looked to the floor as box clattered open, revealing a fox pendent. Alya's eyes went wide as she grasped her own pendent under her shirt. Marinette's wide eyes met Lila's.

"How did you get that in there?"

Lila cried out. "See! That's my necklace! She DID steal it!"

Marinette backed up, the weight of everyone's disappointed stares baring down on her. "No… it's not possible. I didn't take it, I swear! Mom?" Her mother had turned away, sobbing into her husband's chest. Marinette looked to her boyfriend standing next to them. "Adrien, please…" She choked out.

Adrien reached for Mr. Damocles. "Sir, I know Marinette…"

The principal held out a hand. He had had enough. "We cannot tolerate lies or thievery at this school. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, you are hereby EXPLELLED!"

No one believed her. Marinette all but fell to the ground in grief.

xXx

"You were right, Volpina! I have never felt such negative energy! The downfall of this girl brings about the despair of everyone who trusted her! This is a perfect test group." Hawkmoth grabbed another akuma out of the air, infusing it with dark energy. "Are you ready?"

Volpina nodded. "More than ever!"

Hawkmoth placed the akuma into one of the ears of Volpina's costume. "You are now Catalyst. You show great dark promise. I give you the ability to boost powers." A dark aura washed over the girl, changing her into a new form. During this transformation, Hawkmoth turned to face the window. "Mayura, are you in position?"

Unbeknownst to the group inside the school, Mayura hovered just outside the window, spying on their little experiment. "I am, Hawkmoth. Everything is going as you had planned. That daft owl man is escorting the girl and her family out of the room. Now is the time!"

"Hawkmoth," He turned to face his newest creation. "I give you the power to release as many akumas as you desire. You are now, Scarlet Moth!" Catalyst infused his cane with red energy. Scarlet Moth quickly infected several akumas. He could not lose the opportunity to test his theory.

"Fly my akumas! Evilize them all!"

xXx

Marinette's heart had fallen as far as it could. She was being wrongly accused for something she didn't do; none of her friends believed her, except for Adrien; and to top it off, she was expelled! This day couldn't get any worse.

Her father opened the door to exit the locker room when it was flooded with angry red butterflies. It took everyone by surprise. There was no escaping this.

The akumas infected everyone. Those who had been akumatized before transformed into their former villains. Lady WIFI. Princess Fragrance. Reflecta. Timebreaker. Horrificator. Evillustrator.

Try as she might, Marinette couldn't avoid the creatures. One infected her bag. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one infect her mother's wedding ring. They stood at attention, ready to receive Hawkmoth's orders.

 _"Princess Justice, Verity Queen, my faithful followers. I am Scarlet Moth. The despair that fills you comes from losing the trust of those close to you. We will be performing several tests. Everyone please raise your right hand."_

The group obliged.

 _"Now your left leg"_

Several people kicked rather than lifted, knocking each other down.

 _"Very good. Everyone surround Princess Justice."_ The group menacingly blocked any exits for the girl.

 _"This concludes our tests. Thank you for your… cooperation. I will be seeing you all very soon."_

The akumas left as quickly as they arrived. Marinette dropped to the floor, breathing heavily. She was aware of everything that had happened while Hawkmoth was in control. Adrien emerged from a locker that he had been able to hide in and ran to her side. The poor girl was trembling.

She had avoided becoming akumatized in the past, so this was the first time that she had experienced the sensation. It had been… cold. She was filled with so much fear, anger, and hopelessness. While her mind had been her own for the moment, she knew that if Hawkmoth had asked them to retrieve the Miraculous, she would have handed her earrings over without a second thought. It was enough to terrify her.

Adrien embraced her, trying to rub some warmth into her arms. He glanced around. "Hey. Where did Lila go?" Everyone looked for the girl.

"She's gone!" Rose exclaimed

"So's the necklace." Juleka mumbled.

She was right. Lila, the box, and the necklace had simply vanished. No one had seen her leave.

"This must have been some sort of setup, Mr. Damocles. I know that Marinette would never steal or lie about something like this." Adrien pleaded with the stunned principal. "Lila didn't even stick around."

"I suppose that you're right, young man." Mr. Damocles rubbed the back of his neck. He turned to Marinette's parents. "Your daughter is not expelled." He addressed the rest of the room. "Everyone go ahead and go home for the rest of the day. You have all been through much and deserve some rest. I will see you all tomorrow morning."

Marinette still sat numbly in Adrien's arms. He shifted to help her to stand. "Marinette?" She blinked away her haze. "Can you walk? We're taking you back home." She patted his chest.

"Yeah. That sounds good."

Students flooded the front steps of school. Many were happy with a sudden half day of school, completely unaware of what had happened with their classmates.

Adrien held an arm around Marinette's waist to help her down the stairs. He knew that she could take care of herself, but she had experienced something traumatic. She gladly accepted his help. Sabine and Tom walked ahead, telling them that they would prepare some snacks across the way at the bakery. The rest of the Miraculous Squad had already parted ways, needing to recover on their own.

Marinette hissed and stopped midway down the stairs. Adrien followed her gaze and saw Lila leaning against the wall adjacent to the stairs. He ground his teeth.

"Where did you disappear to Lila? How did you get away from the akumas? Why did you setup Marinette with your lies?" He spat.

The girl simply waved him off. "So many questions, model boy. But they'll all be answered in due time." Marinette straightened and lightly pushed Adrien away. He let her go, trusting that she knew what she was doing.

Marinette stood in front of Lila, her body still trembling. "I don't know what you're up to, Super Liar," He voice wobbled. "But Ladybug and Chat Noir will stop you."

"We'll see, Marinette." She patted her shoulder, like a parent would an annoying child. "We'll see". She sauntered off away from the couple.

The strength Marinette had summoned slipped away, sending her to the pavement. Adrien rushed to catch her. "Marinette!"

"I'm fine." She struggled to not tremble in his arms again. He helped her to her feet.

"What was that? Since when does Hawkmoth have that kind of power?" They stopped at the crosswalk to wait for the light.

"He doesn't. And this isn't like the power we've seen from Mayura. He's gathering an army." She looked at him worriedly. "I don't know if we'll be enough…"


	29. Project Catalyst: The Veil Falls

**YO! If y'all thought last week was intense... Have fun!**

 **PS: As most of this chapter is a flashback, this is mostly in italics. Sorry if this messes any reading styles up.**

"Do you need anything else, honey?" Sabine placed a steaming cup of lemon balm tea on the edge of Marinette's loft space. The girl shook her head from her place on her bed next to Adrien, cuddling further under the blanket he had draped around her shoulders.

Adrien shifted to retrieve the cup from the floor. "Thanks, Sabine." He smiled.

She returned a weak smile, concern for her daughter apparent on her face. She descended the ladder. "You two kids holler if you need anything. Your dad and I will be down in the bakery."

Marinette sipped the tea her boyfriend handed her as the trapdoor closed. Adrien rubbed her arm.

"Okay Bugaboo. It's clear that what happened today has something to do with you and Lila. What happened between you two?"

"Adrien…"

He held up his hands. "I know I didn't need to understand before with Sandboy, but now this is impacting more people. Please help me understand so that I can help you better." The boy watched as Marinette drained the rest of her drink in one gulp.

Marinette dragged a weary hand across her face. "Fine. I'll tell you. I'm warning you though, you are _not_ going to like it…" He gripped her free hand.

"I don't have to like it. I just want to help you, Marinette."

The girl sighed as she shifted into a sitting position. "Alright. This happened after we defeated Volpina, before you found out who I was, and before Lila left on her 'world tour'…"

xXx

 _Ladybug landed on the rooftop that would serve as her rendezvous with Chat Noir. She had met the Guardian of the Miraculous when she went to drop off the book she had saved from the trash. It had been several hours since the event with Volpina on the Eiffel Tower and the girl had yet to process what had all happened._

 _It was true that she hadn't known Adrien for that long, but according to every relationship and crush quiz that she'd taken, Marinette had very strong feeling for the boy. It wasn't quite love yet; she knew that. However, this was something more than simple attraction. Since the first day of school and the incident with the umbrella, Marinette felt drawn to him- almost like… destiny…_

 _A few tears escaped her eyes as the heroine remembered the fear on the Illusion's face as Volpina threatened to drop him. Ladybug grit her teeth angrily. She could not believe that she had almost given up her Miraculous for a lie! The girl swiped the tears from her eyes. At least Adrien was okay…_

 _"You alright, mi'Lady? You seem a bit… distracted…"_

 _Ladybug startled at the sound of Chat Noir's voice. Was he always this quite or was she really that out of it? "Oh, hey Chat… I'm fine. Just tired after a long day." She glanced at her legs to regain her composure, then looked out over Paris from where the boy had joined her.. Chat said nothing as he sat to observe their beautiful city with her._

 _They talked as Chat was the curious kitty he was, asking about her interest in Adrien Agreste. In spite of her better judgement, Ladybug explained her crush on the model. At first she felt mortified. However, Chat helped her see that her feelings were justified and truly coming from her heart._

 _After he left with a cryptic message of who he was crushing on, the girl slung her way home. It had been a long and emotional day._

 _The next day didn't fare any better._

 _Marinette was surprisingly early to class for once. She entered the classroom to see everyone in different seats. Alya waved her over from her seat next to Nino._

 _"Alya, what's going on?" Marinette fingered the strap of her backpack. Something was up._

 _"Well, after what happened yesterday and pre-existing medical conditions, Lila can't sit in the back anymore. Ms. Bustier's moved her up there with Adrien." Alya gestured to the seat in front of her._

 _Marinette glanced around the room. All of the other seats were filled. A sinking feeling enveloped her stomach. "Everyone else changed seats too. Where am I sitting now?"_

 _Nino pointed to the back row. "Where Lila used to sit. You've got the top box there, dude!" Alya nudged his ribs at seeing Marinette's crestfallen face._

 _"Girl, I know that we aren't sitting together anymore, but you can pick where we go to eat for lunch for the next week!" Alya clutched the girl's hand, attempting to make the situation better._

 _"Wow! You really pulled through for me, Miss! This front row seat will really help my tinnitus and trauma from being akumatized due to Ladybug's incompetence yesterday!" Lila strolled into the room accompanied by Ms. Bustier._

 _"Of course, Lila." The woman noticed Marinette in the aisle. "Is something wrong, Marinette?"_

 _"Ms. Bustier, why do I have to sit in the back now?" Marinette tried to keep the whine out her voice._

 _The teacher placed her supplies for the day on her desk. "Do you have any issues seeing or hearing?" Marinette bit her lip._

 _"Um..."_

 _Lila placed a hand on Marinette's arm. "If Marinette has an issue, I can try and push through my tinnitus from the back. I can just avoid looking at the Eiffel Tower through the window. It's become a trigger for emotional distress as a result of Ladybug's failure yesterday."_

 _Marinette gritted her teeth, but quickly realized that everyone was staring at her with scorn. She even heard Kim scoff. "Um, I actually don't have any issues. I'll… go have a seat now."_

 _Ms. Bustier nodded. "That's probably for the best."_

 _With every step to her new seat, Marinette felt the weight of everyone's stares. How could Lila have charmed them within one day? Marinette's heart sunk even lower when Adrien walked in._

 _The boy took stock of the new seating arrangement. Marinette saw him frown in her direction before sitting down. Lila immediately glopped onto him, laughing at something she had said. That chipped away further at her normally cheerful personality. Marinette could barely focus on what Ms. Bustier was talking about that day. Before she knew it, the lunch bell had rung. She met Alya and Nino in the hallway._

 _"So, where do you want to go for lunch today?" Alya wrapped her arm around Nino's._

 _"I'm not really feeling like going off campus today. Are you guys alright with getting something from the cafétéria ?" Marinette could feel her emotions dragging her down. Alya nodded, so the trio headed to the cafeteria._

 _There was a commotion at one of the tables as the group walked in. Marinette's fury resurfaced as she saw that practically their entire class surrounded Lila. They were catering to her every need as she sat there smiling. Marinette heard the girl say something about a sprained wrist as she grabbed her own tray. She scoffed._

 _"What's up, girl?" Alya poked her friend._

 _"Lila's totally lying. Everything that comes out of her mouth is a lie." She slammed a bowl of fruit salad onto her tray._

 _"Lila's barely been here for a day. What did she do to make you dislike her so much?"_

 _Marinette sighed. "Fine. I'll tell you." As soon as Nino finished selecting his pudding cup, Marinette dragged the two of them to a table on the opposite side of the room from Lila. "You know how Lila dragged Adrien into the library after school yesterday? Something felt off about her, so I followed her."_

 _Nino dropped his spoon before it entered his pudding. "WHAT?" The girls shushed him. "You followed Lila and Adrien? That's not cool, dude."_

 _Alya placed a hand on his arm before turning back to Marinette. "What happened?"_

 _"She lied to Adrien! She was telling him this story about how she knew Ladybug and how she was the descendent of a vixen superheroine and…" She stopped as Alya raised her hand._

 _"Okay. She was telling Adrien things about herself to impress him. You're not the only one who has a crush on him, you know." Marinette blushed at that. "Can you prove that what she said isn't true?"_

 _Marinette panicked. There was no way she could prove it to Alya and Nino without revealing that SHE was Ladybug. "Uh… Okay. You want some proof? Here." She balled up the napkin from her tray and turned to Lila's table of admirers. "Hey Lila! You forgot your napkin!" The girl summoned every bit of Ladybug luck and power that she could as she launched the projectile at the Super Liar. She grinned triumphantly as Lila caught it with her supposed 'sprained wrist'._

 _The crowd gasped. Lila dropped the napkin, wincing in pain. "Ow! Once, I went with my parents on a trip to India and witnessed someone get their eye gouged out by the corner of a napkin. If I hadn't sacrificed my wrist, the napkin could have injured Max. Ow!" She massaged her wrist._

 _Max placed a hand over his heart. "Lila, you saved my eye."_

 _"You wear glasses, Max!" Marinette yelled. That got the attention of Lila's posse._

 _"Are you proud of yourself, Marinette?" Mylène scolded._

 _"Lila's in more pain because of you!" Kim shook his head._

 _Lila attempted to calm the rumbling mob. "Guys, don't blame Marinette. She was only trying to give me a napkin. Right, Mari?"_

 _Marinette stormed over to the table, pointing a finger in Lila's face. "Only my friends can call me Mari." Marinette knew that she needed to get out of there to calm down._

 _The girl barged into the bathroom, clinging to a sink. She ran some cold water into the palm of her hand before rubbing it on her face._

 _"What's wrong, Marinette?" Marinette's head snapped up at the sound of Lila's voice entering the bathroom. "I'm sorry about the nick-name thing." Lila slid closer. "I'm getting the sense that you don't like me. I've only been here for a day. I'm not sure what I did to warrant this.."_

 _A montage of every lie Lila has told sped through Marinette's head like a montage as she clenched her eyes shut._

 _"Is it because of Adrien?"_

 _Marinette turned her head._

 _"It is! It's because I'm sitting next to him, isn't it? I didn't mean to make waves." Lila placed a friendly hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Let's not fight over a boy. I was really hoping that we could be friends. Hey! Now that I'm sitting next to hm, maybe I can slip you inside information!" Lila stopped as Marinette wrenched herself out of the liar's grasp._

 _"You and I would only be friends when you stop lying, Lila!" The girl's eyes hardened. Marinette kept going. "I know everything. Your hearing's fine, your wrist is fine, and you don't know Ladybug!"_

 _Lila began fussing with her hair in the mirror. "Huh. I was wondering if anyone here was smart enough to catch on. You're not as dumb as you look, you know." She smirked. Marinette took a step back. "People like me because I only tell them what they want to hear." Lila turned to Marinette, resuming her innocent stance. "Oh yes, Rose! Prince Ali DOES remember you! He talked a lot about you the last time I visited hi with my family." She nodded seriously. "Oh man, Ivan! That song you wrote rivals what Jagged Stone puts out. You should take it to a record company." The brunette relaxed, placing a cocky hand on her hip. "Call it what you want, but it works."_

 _"It's called lying!"_

 _"Whatever." Lila tossed her hair. "There's not much you can do anyway. You don't want to be my friend? Fine. Stay out of my way. But…" She marched towards Marinette, backing her into the wall of the bathroom. "If you cross me, try to expose me, or tell Adrien ANY of this, you will lose everyone, and I will make sure that you never get close to Adrien again." Lila smiled at the look of fear in Marinette's eyes. "Ah. You've been there before. Good. Then you know how it feels to be friendless." Lila leaned away and adopted her alternate persona. "Kay byeeeee!" She slammed the door shut._

 _Marinette hesitated only a moment before shutting herself into a nearby stall. Tears began to stream down her face. "I thought Chloe was bad, but Lila is even worse! Chloe never tried to turn the whole class against me!" The girl sobbed. Tikki tried to comfort her._

 _"You shouldn't let her get to you. Marinette…" The kwami shrank back at Marinette's wild eyes._

 _"Or what, Tikki? You heard her! If I try to expose her lies, she'll ruin my life!" The girl screamed, slamming her fist into the side of the stall._

 _Tikki racked her brain, trying to think of something she could do to help her owner. She saw a dark shadow out of the corner of her eye. "MARINETTE! An akuma!" She cried._

 _Marinette snapped out of her misery into Ladybug mode. She backed herself into the corner of the stall, trying to get as far away from the creature as she could. Her breathing was still heavy until she heard Tikki's voice._

 _"You may be discouraged now but remember: Hawkmoth's minions only prey on those with no hope. You're Marinette! You always find a way! You'll find a solution to this mess!" The girl smiled._

 _"You're right Tikki. I may be down now, but I'm not out. As long as I have you and my friends, there will always be hope!" She sighed with relief as the akuma fluttered away. Marinette sank to the floor. That was too close._

 _The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Marinette stayed in her new seat in the back, practicing deep breathing exercises to help her stressed mind. She didn't even notice Adrien scooting away from Lila's advances._

 _Marinette finished the project she was working on in the art room, so she sat on the staircase in the school's courtyard waiting for Alya to finish with her journalism club. The girl was staring at the new group of students surrounding Lila. She was regaling them with stories *ahem* lies of exotic places she had visited or famous people she knew. It chaffed at Marinette to see her friends falling for lies. Marinette sighed._

 _Maybe she had been rash before, going after Lila with such force. That was what would drive her friends away. Maybe there was still a way to still expose her for the fake that she was.._

 _"Are you going to tell everyone about Lila's lies?"_

 _Marinette whipped her head around. Adrien leaned on the stair railing, a sad look clouding his features. "What do you mean?" She nervously glanced at where Lila was seated._

 _"I overheard you earlier telling the others about her being a liar. She's lied to me too." He turned to her and asked again. "So, are you going to tell everyone?"_

 _"Shouldn't I? Shouldn't they know that they're being lied to?"_

 _"Would exposing and humiliating her make things better? It would just spread the hurt. As long as her lies don't directly hurt anyone…" They both turned back to the throng around Lila as they all laughed at something she said. "As long as you and I know the truth, does it really matter?" Marinette smiled. She didn't want to burden him with the threats Lila had made against her. Adrien liked to see the best in people. She couldn't ruin that for him._

 _"Maybe you're right."_

 _Adrien smiled as well, patting her shoulder before leaving for his car. Marinette allowed herself to melt a little at his touch. She didn't notice Lila's narrowed eyes._

 _Outside as Marinette parted ways with Nino and Alya, she was stopped by a vicious looking Lila._

 _"I thought I told you to stay away from Adrien." She snarled._

 _Marinette shrugged. She was determined to not let this girl get to her. She was struggling. "He already knew that you were a liar. I didn't have to tell you anything."_

 _Lila encroached on Marinette's personal space as she jabbed a finger into the girl's shoulder. "Well from now on, Marinette, you and I are at war. I'm leaving for a few days with my parents on a trip. But prepare yourself. When I get back, I will make your life a nightmare. All of your friends will see you for the pathetic loser you are, and I will do everything within my power to win Adrien onto my side. You can count on that." She leaned away, a satisfied smirk on her lips._

 _Marinette shrugged again. "We'll see Lila. Have fun on your trip." She left without a single glance back._

xXx

"I guess she really did leave with her parents, but as you know, she didn't come back until recently." Marinette ran a hand through her hair. "She luckily hasn't tried to follow through on her threats yet. I have gotten some pretty nasty comments on social media that may be her. I can't prove it though." She paused, noticing Adrien's silence. "Are you okay?"

"All of that happened when I was looking for Ladybug." He seemed stuck on something.

She nodded, trying to help him. "Yeah… and?"

It was his turn to run his fingers through his hair. "I was so busy trying to find Ladybug that I missed the damage Lila was doing to you! How could I have been so blind?"

"I didn't want to burden you!" She tried to comfort her boyfriend. "I could handle it. She left soon after, so I was able to push it away. Besides…" She splayed her hand against his, smiling. "Something pretty great came around to help me not think about it…"

Adrien grinned, pulling her into his embrace. "I'm just glad you finally told me. We're going to have to find you an outlet for stress or something. Don't hit me," He glared at her as she smiled sheepishly. "But you tend to internalize stuff and bottle it up. It is very noble for you to try and carry the weight of the world there, Atlas, but it's not healthy." He felt her sigh against his chest.

"Maybe we can try kick boxing? I've heard it's great for taking out aggression." He chuckled.

"Yeah. We can look into that after Hero's Day. Sound good?" Instead of a response, he got a yawn. "Do you want me to leave?"

She snuggled closer. "No. You're my comfort animal. Comfort Kitty." Her eyes drooped. He smoothed the hair from her forehead.

"Alright. I'll stay until you fall asleep."

 **In case you can't tell, I REALLY don't like Lila :) To me, she's a kind of villain like Hans from Frozen. You just can't stand them, but you have to admire their craftiness.**


	30. Project Catalyst: Preparations

**Here we go everybody! It's HEROES DAY!**

 **Couple of things in House Keeping-**

 **There's a song I was going to make reference to at the beginning here, but it just didn't flow right. So instead, I just played it on repeat while I typed :) If you'd like to listen to it to get into the Heroes Day spirit, it is** ** _Heroes (We Could Be)_** **by Alesso. It's available on Spotify.**

 **2\. I'm posting this week's chapter early and may or may not be posting next week. I'm going on vacation (an OVERDUE and WELCOME vacation!) with an 8 hour bus ride where I may or may not get any writing done. I'll bring everything I need just incase inspiration strikes. Who knows? Maybe I'll finish the last 6 chapters...**

 **3\. Also, THANK YOU for all of your kind reviews! I LOVE getting feedback because I can see how many people are reading, but it means SO MUCH MORE when you read a review from an ACTUAL person who has read your story. For those of you who have been enjoying my Miraculous Trilogy since the beginning, thank you for staying loyal and thank you to the readers who have picked it up along the way! If you've been reading since the beginning, feel free to leave a comment and I might mention y'all over the next couple of chapters.**

 **Well, without further adieu, enjoy!**

 _HEROES DAY_

 _"_ _Rise and shine everyone! Today is HEROES DAY! A day when you too can be a hero! Here's a song to get you in the mood this morning…"_

Marinette groaned as her radio began blasting a song about being heroes. She fumbled for her device, shutting it off. Tikki blinked beside her.

"Happy Heroes Day, Tikki." The girl rubbed a hand across her weary face.

The kwami stretched and yawned. "Good morning, Marinette. Did you get enough sleep last night?"

"I think I got a solid two or three hours. That villain from last night was tough." Marinette hefted herself out of bed and down her ladder. Tikki floated behind her. "Come on Tikki. We've got to get ready for Heroes Day!"

xXx

Marinette entered the bakery as her mother and father worked on a statue of Ladybug made out of baked goods. "Wow guys! It's coming along great!" Tom paused to take stock of his progress.

"It does look pretty good, doesn't it? We did have an excellent model for the head after all!" He gave his daughter a wink. Marinette turned bright red as she smiled. That was one of the most nerve wracking two hours of her life. Her attention shifted to her mother as she handed her a box of macarons.

"Here are your macarons for Heroes Day, sweetie. Do you have everything ready for after school?"

"Mhmn. Adrien's going to come over with me during lunch to help with the finishing touches." As Marinette swiped a few cookies for Tikki to munch on, she noticed the time. "Yikes! I've got to get going. See you at lunch break!" She dashed out the door.

Tom and Sabine shook their heads. Marinette had changed in the past year and a half, but there were some things about her that would never change.

xXx

The entire school was a buzz. It was finally Heroes Day! Many people elected to wear something that reflected their favorite superhero. There were MANY red and black outfits scattered amongst the crowd. The bell rang and students filed into their classrooms. Ms. Bustier allowed her students to chatter on for a minute before commanding their attention.

"Good morning, students. Happy Heroes Day!"

"Happy Heroes Day!" They chirped back.

"As you all know, Heroes Day is when everyday citizens perform good deeds for other people's benefit. I remember that we had some pretty creative ideas last year," Ms. Bustier clicked a button on her slide remote, changing the screen behind her. An image of the Miraculous Squad filled the screen. "But this year, we have a group of actual heroes who have inspired all of us with their acts of heroism! It's more than what happens in comic books or fairy tales- being a hero is something that _anyone_ can do. So," She clasped her hands. "What heroic deeds does everyone have planned for today?"

Nino stood up. "Well, I used to not do anything because I didn't think that I had anything heroic to offer." He fiddled with his headphones. "But these new heroes have shown me that I can do anything! So this year, an older friend of mine," He winked at Marinette and Adrien. "He helped me find a local retirement home that doesn't get many visitors. We're going to go hang out with them and play their favorite songs." The DJ sat as his classmates applauded.

"That sounds amazing, Nino! I hope you get to play some funky jams!" Ms. Bustier attempted a rappers stance as the class laughed and groaned. "Alya? What will you be doing?" The reporter stood, adjusting her glasses.

"Last year at my old school, I researched and wrote an article about the standards that public buildings needed to have in regard to disabled access. I've recently discovered that our school could be doing more to help handicap kids attend, so Chloe hooked me up with her dad and we're going to take a look at how to improve the buildings in our district!" Alya nodded her thanks to the blonde as she sat.

"I'll go next." Chloe stood, tossing her hair over shoulder. "Through my connections with Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale, Sabrina and I are helping organize a Heroes Day concert that will raise money for the victims of the Australian wildfires. We even made t-shirts to sell!" Sabrina stood to show one off. Several hands raised, committing to buying one. "If you've finished with your Heroes Day festivities by tonight, we'd love to have you for our event."

"Wonderful, Chloe! I am so proud of you!" The girl blushed under her teacher's praise.

"Wow! That's so great, Chloe!" Everyone's head turned to the back of the class. Many were surprised to see Lila in school after the Scarlet Moth incident. However, there wasn't much evidence against her, so she only received an after-school detention the day before for 'skipping class'. "You and I should have partnered up since both of our Heroes Day projects have to do with the environment."

"You shared your project with us last week, right Lila?" Ms. Bustier gently chided. "Let's let others share what they're doing first and maybe you can give us an update before lunch." She directed her attention back to the front of the room. "Marinette? Adrien? What are the two of you doing?"

Marinette stood. "Well, to start things off, I brought everyone's favorite macarons. Please pass the box around. Since I bring these every year, I think you all know the drill." She chuckled along with everyone else. "However, I've got something else up my sleeve this year. As many of you know, my great Uncle Cheng won World's Greatest Chief last year. While he was here, he left my parents an old family cookbook with ancient recipes that have never been tasted outside of China!" Marinette's voice went up in excitement. "They have chosen the best recipes and will be debuting them for Chinese New Year. But," She raised a finger. "They are giving our class an exclusive taste test this evening before the Help Australia concert!"

The class cheered. Ms. Bustier attempted to regain order. "Alright everyone! Adrien, where do you fit in?"

"Marinette's parents were gracious enough to extend the invitation to my Chinese lesson classmates as well, so I will be helping them with making a few dishes and serving tonight."

"That sounds like a lot to do…" Marinette waved a hand.

"Thanks to Adrien's father's assistant Nathalie, we were able to schedule when do to everything. Adrien and I will just be doing some last-minute things during the lunch break today."

 ** _RING_**

"Speaking of lunch, there's the bell. Sorry we weren't able to hear an update, Lila. See you all back here after lunch!"

xXx

Lila slunk out of the school, knowing that time was of the essence. Once she was free of prying eyes, she dashed down the street to where a car was waiting. She willed the machine to drive faster. The Agreste mansion wasn't that far away from the school, but adrenaline and excitement flowed through her veins. _It's finally time for Project Catalyst!_ The girl bounced in her seat.

Before she knew it, she found herself in Gabriel's office. "Am I late?"

"Not at all, Ms. Rossi. The Heroes Day parade is set to start in thirty minutes. There is still time." Gabriel turned to the painting of Emile, pressing the secret buttons to admit them into the lair. Lila was surprised to find a television switched to the news. Gabriel gently nudged away several white butterflies who had found a perch on the monitor.

"Dark wings, RISE!" Lila shielded her eyes from the bright light of Hawkmoth's transformation. As she blinked, he waltzed over to her, a dark creature in his outstretched hand. "Are you ready for Phase One?"

"Let's do this!" There was something about the familiar feeling of the akuma washing over her; it was addictive. If only there was a way to always feel this way…

"Begin your illusion, Volpina."

The girl inwardly cursed Hawkmoth for interrupting her revelry; however, if she wanted Ladybug and Marinette out of the way with Adrien all to herself, there was still work to be done.

xXx

Alya pulled Nino towards the _Champ de Mars_ garden in front of the Eiffel Tower. They had run there for their lunch break so they could see the Heroes Day parade before class started back. As Nino paid for their lunch from a street vendor, Alya smiled at her boyfriend. They had come so far from their time being locked in at the zoo. Now the teens were celebrating Heroes Day as actual superheroes! There was nothing that could spoil this day…

"Mommy? Did Ladybug change her costume?" Alya jerked her head in the direction of the little girl's question. She then followed the child's finger as she pointed to two figures standing atop one of the Heroes Day balloons.

"What?" She muttered. Alya pulled out her phone, using the zoom feature as she pressed record. Sure enough, a reverse colored Ladybug was facing a terrified looking Chat Noir.

"Move out of the way everyone! She's been akumatized!" The black cat waved the crowds away.

"Marinette?" Alya's heart sank to her stomach. Nino rushed over.

"Al! What's happening?" She handed him her phone so he could see.

"There's something wrong. Mar- I mean, Ladybug and Chat Noir are fighting! He said that she had been akumatized…"

The crowd gasped as Ladybug took control of Chat Noir's baton and struck him across the face. The blow sent him flying to the next balloon.

"GIVE ME YOUR MIRACULOUS, YOU DUMB CAT!" Ladybug roared. "It's useless to go up against Hawkmoth! We've lost. Time to join the winning side!" Alya clung to Nino's arm as they watched everything unfold. They were too mesmerized to transform themselves.

Chat struggled to his feet, the polyurethane material of the balloon shifting under him. "There's always hope, Ladybug. In the meantime, here's something else you can give to dear old Hawkmoth. CATACLYSM!"

Ladybug grabbed the hand with the destructive power, turning it and forcing it into Chat's chest. He gurgled in surprise before disintegrating.

"NO!" Alya crumbled to the ground, sobbing. Nino held her, his eyes closed as tears crept down his cheeks. Everyone around them was screaming, running away from their once beloved protector as she cackled.

"WEEP IN DESPAIR, PEOPLE OF PARIS! Hawkmoth has won! There is no one left to protect you!" She leapt from her balloon to a nearby rooftop where she promptly disappeared.

Nino knew that they needed to get to safety before their questions could be answered. "Alya, Alya we have to move." He tugged her arm as she sat in the dirt, moaning. He needed to say something, _anything_ , to get her moving."Al. What if this is like what happened with Lila and Marinette a couple days ago? What if this is all an illusion?"

That snapped her out of her grief. "Really? You think?" She stood, her legs shaky.

"I don't know. It's possible. It's also possible that what we saw actually happened. But we need to get somewhere safe first." He gripped her shoulders. "Let's head back to the school. We can call the guys on the way."

Having something to do gave Alya the strength to move forward. This time, it was Nino pulling her along as she frantically dialed Marinette's number.

"Come girl, pick up!"

xXx

Hawkmoth smiled as he took a deep breath. "So much sadness… So much despair and grief… I can almost smell it! I sense the chasm of fear widening to envelop every person in Paris." He turned to his young protégée. "You performed your first role very well, Volpina."

She curtsied. "Thanks Hawkmoth."

The man returned his gaze to the city below his lair. He placed a finger to his ear. "Nathalie, it is time. Please join us." Hawkmoth's hands fell into place atop his cane. "Phase One is complete. It is time to initiate Phase Two."


	31. Project Catalyst: Scarlet Fever

**LAST TIME: As our heroes prepare for Heroes Day, so do our** **villains. Volpina has tricked the people of Paris into believing that Ladybug has joined Hawkmoth and killed Chat Noir with his own Cataclysm. Phase One of Hawkmoth's plan has been fulfilled. Now he moves on to Phase Two...**

"Wow. That took longer than I thought." Adrien wiped down the counters as Marinette and her parents packed the last of the delicacies for that evening into the Dupain-Cheng catering van. "Was that the entire lunch break?"

Marinette wiped her brow. "And then some. I hope we can get an excused tardy. It is Heroes Day after all." She unlocked her phone for the first time since arriving home. "Uh… I have 37 missed calls from Alya…" Adrien showed her the same number of missed calls from Nino on his device. The girl held the phone to her ear as it rang. "Something must be wrong."

" _Marinette?"_

"Hey Alya. What's-"

 _"Are you okay? Are you and Adrien safe?"_

Startled by the question, Marinette turned the conversation to speaker so that Adrien could hear as well. "We're fine. We just took a little longer than we thought helping my parents. We're about to leave to head back to school." She heard Alya sigh with relief. "What happened? Why did you call so many times?"

 _"I can't explain now. Just get back to the school as fast as you can. Find Nino and me when you get here."_ Without another word, the girl hung up. The teens shared a brief glance before rushing to grab their things.

"Maman, Adrien and I are going back to school! Bye!" They were gone before Sabine had a chance to pop her head around the corner.

Marinette patted her bag to alert Tikki that they may need to transform soon. The teens raced into the school courtyard, seeing everything crying, on their phone, or both. Adrien lost his breath for a moment as Nino crashed into him.

"DUDE! You're alright!"

Alya quietly tried to pry them apart. "Nino, we need to keep a low profile, remember?" She hissed. The girl rubbed Marinette's back as if to reassure herself that her friend was actually there.

"Guys, WHAT is going on?" Marinette looked around the courtyard again. Nino led the group to a secluded area under the stairs.

"We have to show you." Alya already had her news app open.

" _The reports are as we feared, Parisians: CHAT NOIR IS DEAD. It appears Ladybug has joined forces with Hawkmoth. This is dark day for our city_." Nadja struggled to keep her on-air persona together. Behind her, Jagged Stone held a weeping Clara Nightingale.

" _With those kids gone, nothin' will be rock 'n roll again_." Jagged muttered.

Clara's sobs stopped as she pointed off screen in fear. " _What are those_?"

An angry swarm enveloped the trio in a malevolent, red light. The screen turned to static before revealing a terrifying sight. Marinette clutched Adrien's arm.

" _Sorry for the interference, folks_." Nadja was gone. In her place was Prime Queen. " _We just needed a moment to prepare for the coming of…"_

Guitar Villain leapt into frame, shredding an eerie tune. _"…our new lead rock star…"_

Frightningale twirled into view. _"…Scarlet Moth_!" Her innocent smile turned into sickening grin. " _Wanna meet him?"_

Suddenly, the school courtyard was flooded with red akumas. Screams rang in the air. The four teens remained stock-still under the stairs until they heard a commanding voice shout, "Don't let the fear control you! Stand strong. WE. ARE. PARISIAN! This way, everyone!" They emerged from their hiding spot to see Chloé ushering people into the building.

Spotting them, relief filled her face. "Am I glad to see you guys! We need to get everyone to safety and then take care of things!"

Marinette was first to snap into action. Grabbing Mr. Damocles, she pointed out where Chloé was sending the students. "Once they're all inside, you need to seal any cracks under doors and windows to keep any akumas out. Find a way to keep everyone's spirits up."

The principal nodded. Jogging to the door, he motioned to Ms. Bustier who was sheltering several students. "Caline! You're with me!"

Unfortunately, not everyone was able to find safety. Marinette whirled around as Ivan screamed. Mylène had transformed into Horrificator. Stoneheart appeared not long after.

Rose tripped as she ran with Juleka. She shrieked as the red light enveloped her. Juleka hesitated only a moment before running for safety. There was nothing she could do for Rose now; it was up to Ladybug.

Adrien knew that the teen heroes needed to leave the courtyard before something prevented them from leaving. He was about to shout at the team when suddenly, the boy yelped as all of the air was squeezed from his body. Turning his head, he saw that it was the Gorilla, transformed into Gorizilla. He kicked his legs as the creature tightened his grip.

"ADRIEN!" His head shot up. Marinette was pursuing him out of the courtyard and into the street, her arm outstretched.

"Don't worry about me!" He shouted. "I'll meet you guys at the Eiffel Tower!"

Marinette slowed her run into a jog before falling to the pavement, her chest heaving. Chloé knelt beside her, trying to get her to move. "Marinette, Adrien can take care of himself. He's got Plagg, right? Right now, we need to transform so we can take down Hawkmoth and help these people out."

"Not without me, you're not." Both girls were startled at the new voice.

" _Nate_?" Chloé asked incredulously. Her eyes nervously darted between the boy and Marinette. "How much of that did you hear?"

"I didn't need to hear much. I already know that you're Queen Bee." Nathaniel offered each of the girls a hand up. "And I'm guessing that you're Ladybug?" Marinette sighed.

"You knew?" Nate turned his attention back to his girlfriend.

"Yeah. But I didn't want you to know that I knew."

Before Chloé could respond, Marinette held up a hand. "Enough! Nate, we appreciate the effort, but you need to get yourself to safety."

He shook his head. "No way. If you're actually about to go up against Hawkmoth, you're going to need all of the help that you can get. Especially with all of these akumas running around at once." His face settled into a grimace. "Plus, I'd like to get back at that guy for the whole 'Evillustrator' thing."

Marinette threw her hands up in surrender. "Chloé? He's your boyfriend. It's your call." The blonde massaged the bridge of her nose.

"If we don't get him a Miraculous, he's just going to follow us and get himself into trouble." Chloé ducked into nearby alleyway to transform. Queen Bee emerged, swinging her spinning top. "I'll take him to the Eiffel Tower with… Carapace and Rena Rouge and wait for you and Chat Noir there." The heroine grabbed Nathaniel around the waist and launched her top. "Stop looking at me like that, Kurtzberg!"

xXx

Chat Noir was the last one to join the crew on the rooftop of _Palais de Chaillot_ across the way from the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug took two steps before they enveloped each other in a crushing hug.

"You made it!" She sighed, relieved that he had escaped his former bodyguard.

He smirked. "No way I was missing this party, Bugaboo." Chat gestured to the crowd gathering at the bottom of the Tower. "Especially with all those guests." The duo joined everyone else crouched down behind the ledge.

"How many has he 'recruited'?"

Chat shook his head. "There's too many to count. From what I could see, he's got a lot of the heavy hitters like Gigantitan, Gorizilla, and Stoneheart. There could be dozens more, but I couldn't see past the big guys." The boy turned, seeing a new face. "I hate to be rude on the eve of our greatest battle, but… who are you, chicken boy?"

Carapace chuckled. The hero that had joined them definitely had a 'chicken' theme to his costume.

The new recruit simply smiled. "Sorry, Chat Noir. My name is Rocket Rooster. Ladybug generously allowed me to use the Rooster Miraculous and its power of Flamboyance to help you guys out." Chat Noir smiled and held out his hand.

"Welcome aboard."

Queen Bee scoffed. "Yay. We're all introduced. When can we whoop some akuma butt?"

"We can't just fly in there blind, Bee," Ladybug glared. "We need to know what they're planning…" She was cut off as Rena gasped and pointed.

"Look!"

From the shadows of an elevated viewing platform of the Eiffel Tower, emerged Scarlet Moth. The heroes had to strain to hear him from the great distance, but they could make out that he could see them and was taunting them.

Ladybug felt something nudge her leg. Chat Noir held up a megaphone and grinned.

"If you're going to show him who's boss, might as well make yourself heard." She kissed his cheek, taking the device from him.

The heroine stood on the ledge of the building, her team joining her. "HAWKMOTH! Today is the day you will face justice for all of the pain and suffering you have inflicted on the people of Paris!" As Ladybug delivered her speech, she noticed a blue figure standing next to the red. She briefly lowered the megaphone.

"It looks like Mayura is here." She hissed. "He's got to have someone else providing power for all of these akumas." Ladybug directed her next message at the woman by Scarlet Moth's side.

"MAYURA! There is still time. I don't know how he influenced you, but you must see that what Hawkmoth has been doing to Paris is WRONG! Lay down your Miraculous and join us!"

Silence hung in the air.

Ladybug saw Glaciator turn and fire a glob of deadly ice cream at their rooftop.

"DROP!" She shouted. The team followed her lead and the projectile missed sailed over their heads.

"Looks like war then." Ladybug muttered.


	32. Project Catalyst: Darkest Hour

"So LB, what's the plan?" Rena Rouge unsheathed her flute.

Ladybug took stock of all the villains' positions as she calculated their odds. "I think the best way to utilize our strengths is for you four to distract Scarlet Moth's army," She pointed to Carapace, Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, and Rocket Rooster. "Break their akumatized objects and get them to safety. If you can make Chat Noir and I a corridor to the Tower, we can stop this war at its source. We'll help until we get our opening." The heroine once again stood on the ledge of the building.

"Alright, team. FOR PARIS!" She shouted.

The others took up her war cry as they set out to their assigned tasks. As soon as they moved, the akumas surged forward.

Ladybug lost track of how many objects had been broken and purified. A surge of triumph flowed through her before her mind whispered, _Is this too easy_? A cry whirled her around.

A group of purified victims stood between Ladybug, Chat Noir, and the rest of the team. Carapace shouted as he pointed to a nearby rooftop. Dark Cupid perched there, smirking. Ladybug dropped her gaze to the friends they had just save and her heart sank. Dark Cupid had filled their hearts with negative emotions, opening themselves to become re-akumatized.

"NO!" She screamed in frustration. Now there was a group of villains between her and her team. They began pushing Ladybug and Chat Noir away from the Eiffel Tower into the city.

"Go on, LB!" Rena bashed Princess Fragrance over the head with her flute before destroying her perfume gun. "We've got this. Keep yourselves safe!"

The girl hesitated before she felt Chat nudge her elbow. "We'll be back! I promise!" She shouted. Turning, the duo took off down the maze of Parisian streets.

Chat risked a glance over his shoulder. "I think we're in trouble, Mi'Lady!" They skidded to a stop. An overturned bus blocked the road. "What in the-"

"We can be heroes too, Parisians!" Nora Césaire appeared over the top of the barricade, a hoard of people behind her. Sabine Cheng proudly hoisted the Parisian flag as high as she could. Ladybug almost wept at the beautiful sight. Nora noticed the heroes. "Ladybug! Mister Whiskers! Get your butts back here!" They didn't hesitate.

"What is all of this?" The girl accepted a bottle of water from her grandmother to take a quick swig.

"Hawkmoth and Prime Queen have been filming the whole thing," Gina Dupain pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head. "Not so smart when heroes who are supposed to be dead and traitors appear on air, proclaiming that they plan to take back Paris."

Alya's mom, Marlana, placed a hand on Chat Noir's shoulder. "Seeing you heroes back and fighting gave us hope. It reminded us that we can do something about this too. We're Parisians, after all! Rebellion's in our blood." She winked.

"Thank you!"

Marlana grabbed a piece of plywood from a nearby alley. "We'll slow these guys down. Do what you need to do and save the world!"

Chat shook her hand as he ran backwards. "You're all fantastic. VIVE LA FRANCE!" He shouted.

"VIVE LA FRANCE!" The rebels took up the cry.

Ladybug shot him a look as he smiled playfully. "What? Every good revolution needs a war cry."

xXx

Scarlet Moth stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hm. I did not expect the people to respond in such a way." He glanced down at the battle below. The remaining heroes were holding off his akumas, but Dark Cupid was reclaiming them faster than they could break the objects. "These new heroes are more resilient than I expected as well." He turned to the woman by his side before glancing at the girl sitting behind him.

Lila, now Catalyst, sat in a meditative position touching butterflies as they returned to her. She filled them with darkness, sending them back out into the fray.

"Catalyst, do you have enough akumas in the fight for now?"

The girl took a deep breath. "I think so. What do you have in mind?"

Scarlet Moth returned his gaze to the battle. "While having these Miraculous would be nice, I still need Ladybug's earrings and Chat Noir's ring. They'll return eventually to help their friends… and for me. For now, instruct the akumas to make sure these heroes don't get up again. Break their spirits." He smiled as he met Mayura's gaze. "I believe it's time for Phase Three…"

xXx

Ladybug and Chat Noir made their way to Marinette's house via the sewer system to refuel their kwamis and regroup. Before they exited the sewer, they detransformed.

Marinette shook with anger as she unlocked her family's apartment above the bakery. They were barely inside the door before she punched the wall. Tikki flew from her hiding place, hiding behind Adrien's shoulder. He patted her head.

"It's okay, Tikki." The boy whispered. "She just needs to let off some steam. Let's get you guys some food." Adrien couldn't hide his flinch as the sound of crashing books came from the entry way. Tikki and Plagg shared a glance before grabbing their snacks and fleeing up the stairs. They would ride out this storm in safety.

Adrien looked up from brewing a pot of tea at the silence that now permeated the space. Marinette had taken up residence on the couch, her head held in her hands. He grabbed two mugs for the tea. The girl didn't react as her boyfriend settled in beside her.

"Feel better?"

"No!" Marinette exploded. Adrien held out the second mug as a peace offering. She accepted, downing as much as she could without burning herself. "We shouldn't have left the others!"

"Marinette, we were separated and being pushed back. There was nothing we could do!"

"I should have at least tried Lucky Charm." She berated herself. "We ran before using our ace in the hole."

The boy rubbed her shoulder, trying his best to soothe her. "Okay. Say you used the Lucky Charm. What if Hawkmoth had gotten to the rest of the team, to us? Would that be better than us regrouping and deciding what move we should make next?" He sighed as he saw the comment registered with her. "So, the question is, what now?"

The girl chewed her lip in contemplation. "We've regrouped and the kwamis are refueled. We also know, rather we suspect, that Hawkmoth has a third partner boosting his powers so that he can akumatize so many people at once." Marinette scrubbed her face as she stood to pace. "It's only safe to assume that since we retreated, Hawkmoth may have taken the rest of the team out of commission. I hate the thought, but we may have to plan on it being just the two of us."

Adrien grinned as he stood. "Like day one. You and me against the world, Mi'Lady."

She pushed his face away, grinning as well. "Alright then, kitty. Let's suit up."

xXx

After transforming and sneaking through the city, the heroes had stationed themselves at the rear of the Eiffel Tower. Gamer and Glaciator appeared to be the only sentries at first glance. They had taken up positions at the front, not even glancing backwards. "Okay, this is too easy, isn't it?" Chat Noir hissed. "I mean, Hawkmoth has most of his army out searching the city for us, but only left only two of the big guys to protect him?"

Ladybug felt the same, but a shred of hope remained. "Maybe the rest of the team managed to escape and some of the baddies followed them." It was easier to keep the wobble out of her voice when she was in her alter ego, but the worry for her friends remained.

Chat stood from his crouched position, cracking his knuckles. "Well, Mi'Lady, looks like it's now or never. What's the plan?"

"I think we sneak up the back of the tower, then rush Hawkmoth and Mayura before they know what's happening. We break his cane and her fan. That will take out the control of the akumas and any of those… amucks that Mayura can create." She murmured.

"But what about the third mystery player?"

"Chat, we have to work with what we've got. Once Hawkmoth and Mayura are down… I hate to say it, but we'll have to wing it." Chat sighed, leaning forward on his staff.

"It's the best plan that we can come with right now. Let's go for it."

The sun was beginning to set as Ladybug and Chat Noir snuck up the metal latticework of the Eiffel Tower. In the dying light, Ladybug saw fires dotting the Paris skyline. Even the park in front of the tower was not spared.

The girl paused. What were those black splotches lining the road? "Please don't be the Alya. Please don't be Nino. Please don't be Chloé. Please don't be Nate." Tears pricked her eyes as she prayed each name. Once the obstacle in front of her was dealt with, she would deal with the aftermath.

Finally, the duo made it to the edge of the viewing platform they had seen Hawkmoth on earlier. Ladybug quietly counted them down before they launched themselves at the villains. Before they could do anything, however, Ladybug and Chat Noir found themselves trapped inside of four invisible walls. After pounded on thin air proved futile, they saw their targets emerge from the shadows.

"Thank you, Mr. Mime." Scarlet Moth nodded to the man who stood off to the side. He then turned to his 'guests'. "Well well. I do believe that this confrontation has been long overdue. Have you enjoyed what my friends have done with the city?" Scarlet Moth strolled past the invisible cage to gaze at his handywork.

"They're not your friends!" Chat Noir spat. "They're innocent people that you've taken advantage of!" That got the other man's attention.

"Oh, but young kitten. Once you hear why I have done all of this, what I plan to do with your combined Miraculous, I think that you will actually join me on my quest."

Ladybug scoffed. "Yeah right."

Scarlet Moth's eyes darted angrily to the young woman. "This does not concern you, Ladybug. This is a family matter."

Silence swallowed any thought or retort either teen had been about to throw. The blood drained from Chat Noir's face.

"No…"

"Welcome, Adrien. We need to talk, son."


	33. Project Catalyst: Whiteout

"We need to talk, Adrien."

Chat Noir sank to his knees. Ladybug's eyes bristled with tears for her partner and boyfriend, but she could not let her emotions get the better of her. Not now.

"This can't be happening." The boy trembled. "How did you find out?"

Scarlet Moth waved the question away. "It doesn't matter. What does matter, son, is that your mother is alive." That drove Chat to his feet in anger.

"That's a lie!" He spat. "We buried her! We _mourned_ her! My father may be a cruel at times, but he would never stoop that low. Besides, Nathalie would have told me-"

"What you wanted to hear?" All heads pivoted as yet another figure emerged from the shadows.

Ladybug growled. "So, you must be Mayura?"

Mayura continued as if Ladybug hadn't addressed her. "We faked her death, Adrien. Your father and I placed her into a medically induced coma. It was for your own good as well as hers." Her eyes began to mist over. "Emile was sick; you should remember. Nothing that we tried worked. Until," She unveiled the Guardian's tome. "Until we discovered magical objects that could grant the bearer any wish." The teens each placed a hand over their Miraculous.

Scarlet Moth stepped forward, gesturing excitedly. "You see, son? With your combined Miraculous, we can save your mother! We can be a family again!"

Chat shook his head, tears etched on his face. "But at what cost? I don't know if you read in your little textbook there but magic ALWAYS comes with a price. Maybe we could save Mother, but we'd be stealing someone else's life! Is that what she would want you to do?"

"SHE WOULD WANT TO BE WITH HER FAMILY!" Scarlet Moth screamed. "I have done ALL of this for HER! For US!"

A thought suddenly appeared to Chat. " _Mon Dieu_ …" He whispered. He looked at his father. "Father.. all those people… What- what have you done?"

Seeing he was unable to appeal to his son, Scarlet Moth straightened his sleeves. His voice took on a chill. "Well, if you won't give me your Miraculous willingly, I guess I will have to take them by force."

"Not if I take yours first!" Chat Noir shouted. "CATACYLSM!"

The invisible walls keeping the heroes penned in crumbled. Chat lunged at his father, snarling. Ladybug leapt to join him but was suddenly restrained. She cranked her head around.

"Hiya Lady Loser!" A masked girl smiled malevolently. "I'm Catalyst. Ready to hand over your Miraculous?"

"Never!" She growled.

Catalyst sighed. "Fine by me. Makes this more fun! Mayura? Want to join me?" The older woman approached the girls, cracking her knuckles.

"Absolutely."

xXx

Chat mentally berated himself for failing to see that Paris' greatest villain slept under the same roof! He recoiled as Scarlet Moth swung his cane as the boy's head. Instinct took over as he quickly raised his staff to block the blow. He smirked.

"Maybe you should have rethought all of those fencing lessons, Father." His smirk was quickly wiped from his face as his opponent shoved the staff away to attack again.

"Don't forget, boy," The man snarled. "I'm the one who introduced it to you." Yelling, Scarlet Moth lunged at the hero.

The duo parried back and forth, their weapons blurring together. Chat began to pant. He wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer. While he was an award-winning fencer, his father was clearly the master of the subject. Gritting his teeth, Chat ducked and attempted to sweep Scarlet Moth's leg. The villain leapt into the air. Chat's eyes went wide as the man landed on his outstretched leg. The boy screamed in pain, dropping his staff.

Scarlet Moth grinned, swinging his cane up. It caught Chat in the chin, sending him flying several feet. The blonde grimaced in pain, doing his best to crawl away from the man he once called 'father'.

"We could have done so much together, Adrien. Once I have your Miraculous, I'll have to do something about this disobedient streak of yours." Scarlet Moth tsked. "We can't have you upsetting your mother, now can we?" He crouched over the splayed body of his son, yanking his head up by the hair. "How are my girls faring against yours? I know how skilled Nathalie is, but seeing that Lila girl in action takes the cake. Maybe she's the one for you, son." He chuckled.

"Li-la?" Chat Noir moaned, eyes drifting shut. Things were starting to click into place. He needed to protect Marinette's secret identity from Lila. If she managed to get away, who knows how much havoc she would wreak with that knowledge?

"Oh, would you look at that. Look like my ladies beat yours." Chat slowly opened his eyes. The sight made him sick. It was literally his worst nightmare.

Ladybug's hair had come undone from their usual pigtails and it wasn't only her suit that was spotted. Big, ugly bruises dotted her entire face. Chat saw blood dripping from her split lip. His heart plummeted as she attempted to stand.

"Stay down, LB." He muttered. He shut his eyes again as Catalyst slammed her foot onto Ladybug's back and she cried out in pain.

"What should we do with the Bug, sir?"

"Toss her with the others. I will collect her Miraculous from her body once I'm done disciplining my son." Catalyst clapped her hands giddily.

Chat pushed himself to a semi-standing position. With the others? Had his father really killed his friends? Or was he merely keeping them prisoner on another level of the Eiffel Tower?

"No." He desperately limped forward as he saw what Catalyst intended to do: throw Ladybug into the street 18 stories below. The girl grabbed the heroine by her hair, dragging her to the exposed edge of the platform.

"Chat.." Ladybug whimpered. She struggled, but Catalyst's grip was too tight. "Chat! Chat I'm sorr- aaaaaAAAAHHHHH!"

"NO!" Chat screamed as he reached for thin air. There was nothing else he could do except scream.

xXx

Time seemed to slow. Her screams swirled in the air with Chat's.

 _Chat. He looks so sad_. Ladybug thought. As tears flew up into the air, she gave him one last smile. The girl closed her eyes, wishing she could have done more as Ladybug. She hoped Tikki would find a worth successor.

"OOF!"

She jerked as her decent suddenly ceased. Opening her eyes, Ladybug found herself incased in a green sphere. She winced as the bubble made its way to ground level. The girl took in the destruction of her beloved city. It hurt Ladybug to see Paris covered in fires and to hear her peoples' screams. The sphere disintegrated as it made contact with the ground. Ladybug immediately found who had saved her life.

"Carapace," She whispered before passing out.

"Bee!" Carapace coughed as he collapsed next to Rena Rouge after using Shell-ter. "Is she-"

Queen Bee dragged herself towards her fallen friend. She sighed with relief. "I've got a pulse. It's weak, but she's alive." Bee squinted her eyes as Ladybug was enveloped in a bright light. Where Ladybug once was, now lay Marinette.

Tikki weakly emerged from Marinette's earrings. The kwami lifted her tiny body to check on her Chosen. She cried as she saw how much damage Marinette had taken.

"Tikki." Bee whispered. "She'll be okay. She's just… tired right now. You two need to rest. I'll watch over her."

As the kwami reluctantly settled on Marinette's chest, Queen Bee glanced to the first viewing platform of the Tower. "Please be okay, Adrikins," She whispered.

xXx

Chat sighed with relief. Carapace's Shell-ter had saved Marinette from falling to her death. She was safe. From what he could see from his vantage point, the rest of the team was beginning to stir below. His family was safe.

His heart turned cold as he remembered that one part of his family stood behind him. Chat felt a hand grab his legs and drag him to the center of the room. Without any energy to move, he let himself be dragged. As long as Marinette was safe, his father could do whatever he wanted to him.

What about Plagg? Chat gritted his teeth. No way was he letting this scum corrupt his kwami. Maybe he could summon enough energy to throw his ring over the edge…

"Son." Chat's attention returned to the scarlet-clad man looming over his prone body. "All I am asking you to do is help me save your mother. Why do you insist on causing yourself further pain?"

An old feeling of guilt and shame overwhelmed the boy. There was a time when all he wanted to do was please his father. _Why is it never enough?_ Chat screamed in his mind. "I didn't cause this." He croaked. "Please, Father. Stop this."

Scarlet Moth crouched to his son's eye level. "There's nothing left to stop. I've won, Adrien. Your little girlfriend lies broken below, her Miraculous ripe for the taking. I might as well help myself to your friends' Miraculous as well. Your mother should have some choices to pick from when she wakes up." He stood, contemplating something. "And if any of them are still alive… well…" The man shrugged. "There's not much they can do against me, is there?"

In that moment, Adrien's heart was filled with such hopelessness, fear, and pain. Scarlet Moth smiled as he released the akuma he had hidden in his cane. It fluttered for moment before entering the bell on Chat's costume. He went limp as he was engulfed in the purple ooze.

When the boy opened his eyes, they were no longer green. Instead, they were pale blue. A vacant expression dominated his features. The new creature stood, awaiting orders.

"Ah! My son," Scarlet Moth clasped his shoulders. "You are now Chat Blanc and you will be the perfect obedient son. Your mother will be so proud!"

"Would you like my Miraculous, Father?" The zombie boy raised his white gloved hand. The Ring of the Black Cat remained dark. Before Scarlet Moth could speak, however, Catalyst shrieked.

"Scarlet Moth! That Lady Loser! She's still alive!" She leaned as far over the edge as she dared, squinting. Her mouth dropped before turning to her boss. "Oh. This is TOO DELICIOUS! Turns out, Ladybug is Adrien's actual girlfriend, Marinette."

The man smiled as he addressed his newest creation. "I don't need your Miraculous yet, my boy. Bring me Ladybug's earrings first.

"By any means."


End file.
